Legacy
by StrayValkyrie
Summary: Squall Leonheart finds himself the dumbfounded new hero of an old planet facing it's greatest threat in five hundred years. He must ally with the Planet's legendary champions in an effort to defeat its greatest enemy from one of its greatest heroes. FF7
1. 200 Years

**_.:`'~ Legacy ~'`:._**

-=-=-=-=-=-

_It doesn't hurt me.  
You want to feel, how it feels?  
You want to know, know that it doesn't hurt me?  
You want to hear about the deal I'm making.  
You, (If I only could, be running up that hill)  
You and me (If I only could, be running up that hill)_

-=-=-=-=-=-

**_Prologue_**

The Sleeping Forest hadn't changed at all since his last visit. The same trees whizzed by him as they had his last visit, illuminating the entire forest with a neon white. Despite the night sky, everything here was lit so brightly he could see everything as clearly as day. It felt good to be here again, peaceful. There was such a serene, surreal atmosphere that flowed in the forest. It was a sanctuary for him, a place he could go to for safety when he wasn't feeling well with himself or the world. Every time he came back he could always expect it to be the same, open and inviting and full of wandering memories.

It was a little known fact that Cloud Strife was afraid of death. Not so much in the sense of dying, but what came after it. He'd always wondered what would happen to him when he died. _**If**__ I died would be more accurate_, he thought. He felt perfectly justified in his fears, that he had a very good reason for them.

The Lifestream was, he supposed, what one could call the blood of the Planet, Gaia. A living, sentient thing. It gave off bits and pieces of itself to form into thousands of living creatures, such as humans, for instance. They would live and die, returning to the Lifestream with all of the knowledge, memories and experiences of their lives. In this way, Gaia expanded and grew.

But the Lifestream was more than just the blood of the Planet. It was the immune system. It would cast out those who had lived dirty, unpleasant lives in an effort to keep itself clean and pure. But like all immune systems, it was susceptible to virus'. One such virus had been Jenova, an alien life-form that had impacted with the Planet more than two thousand years ago. The virus had nearly wiped out the entire race of Cetra, humans who could still communicate with the Planet, until she had been stopped by a small group of the remaining Cetra.

But humans, Cetra who had lost their connection with Gaia, with all of their blinding and careless curiosity unearthed the virus once again two thousand years later. They foolishly believed the alien to be one of the long-thought extinct Cetra and had infused her cells with other humans, giving them superhuman strength and abilities.

One human had transcended above them all. His name was Sephiroth. He had become something more than human, more than Jenova. There had been a struggle, a fight, and the Planet herself had nearly been destroyed in the process.

The only way Cloud had been able to defeat the demi-god of human evolution had been, oddly enough, thanks to the Jenova Cells he'd been given at the hands of Professor Hojo, the scientist heading the Jenova project. That, coupled with the force of the Lifestream he'd absorbed the several times he'd suffered from Mako poisoning had given him the strength to defeat Sephiroth and save the Planet.

But at what cost? He was almost as close to Gaia as any Cetra had been. He may not be able to hear her acutely, or understand her needs, but he could feel the whisperings and stirrings of the Lifestream surrounding this place. The Sleeping Forest lay just outside of the Forgotten City, the last and greatest stronghold of the Cetra race that had reigned two thousand years ago. This place held many memories for him, many of them tragic and others peaceful. These days, it was a refuge. He could feel the Lifestream gently tugging the air around him, cautiously welcoming him. The planet was trying, he could tell, to welcome him. But it was difficult.

Cloud carried the last of Jenova Cells still. They were what kept him alive and gave him his inhuman strength and reflexes. Without them, at the speed he was pushing Fenrir, he would've surely been killed long before he ever reached the forest. It was because of them, however, he was so conflicted. If he died, would the planet, _could_ the planet take him back? Was he himself now a virus? He knew he was at the least a carrier, and while the cells no longer bothered him and had seemed to go into some sort of remission, he still feared the impact his spirit would make. He feared that the Lifestream, in order to protect the planet, would reject him. What would happen to him, then? Would he be regurgitated back onto the planet, forsaken to live forever? Or would he simply cease to exist, cast out and forgotten to protect Gaia?

It was this uncertainty that plagued him the most these past few years. He'd watched his friends die one by one of old age, except for Cid, who after headlining and realizing his dream of space exploration met his fate with a malfunctioning rocket years later. He had only two of them left, two friends from that day and age so long ago when they had all banded together to save the Planet.

Vincent was still alive and healthy as ever, although Cloud wasn't sure how. He'd initially thought it had to do with Chaos, whom he'd been told had been some sort of semi-WEAPON of the planet's. But Vincent had informed him that Chaos had returned to the Planet after the incident with Deepground. If that was the case, Cloud suspected it was the experimenting done to the former Turk at the hands of the scientist Hojo, and unfortunately the interference of Lucrecia Crescent, a woman Vincent had fallen for. Cloud, to be perfectly honest, was just glad that he still had him around.

Other than Vincent all he had was Nanaki. Also a former experimentation subject of the infamous Professor Hojo, the lion creature was simply a long-lived species. Perhaps the last of his kind, though Cloud hoped that someday Nanaki would find someone else. He'd heard stories of Nanaki's past from the lion himself, and he could sense the small amount of hope that Nanaki still held at finding others of his kind. He'd been a good friend over the years, and his home, Cosmo Canyon, had been one of Cloud's refuges.

It'd been from there that he traveled to Sleeping Forest, traveling through desert and over the sea, restless after months of deliberation. Nanaki had sensed his growing unease, and so when Cloud had announced his plans the lion had been unsurprised. He wished Cloud a safe journey, and assured him he'd still have a place to come back to when he did.

So, here he was. Fenrir sped through the trees, weaving down the grown path and leaving a soft trail of glittering dust behind him. His goggles covered his eyes, so Cloud had little to worry about. He felt comforted here, and felt his unease slowly begin to dwindle away as though someone were physically and mentally kneading away the apprehension and exhaustion of his heavy thoughts. The wind, despite his speed, was soft against his face and Cloud could feel himself begin to relax, his thoughts wandering in more pleasant directions.

It was then that Cloud stumbled, caught off balance by something in the road. The world exploded and he was blinded by pure white. Stumbling over his feet to catch his balance, his disorientation made his head spin. _What..?_ It took several minutes, but Cloud stood, straightening slowly and squinting his eyes tightly against the brightness surrounding him. He didn't pay attention to the fact his goggles were off his eyes and resting on his head, and even his bike was forgotten. It felt as though he'd been walking the entire time and only just now realized it, waking from a dream. Cloud turned his head side to side, seeing nothing in either direction but white emptiness. He shifted his weight, and it was then he heard something soft crunch beneath his feet. Looking down, he saw flowers. A field of flowers that stretched out forever in every direction where he hadn't noticed before, colored and beautiful pastel yellow, white and pink with soft leaves of green that billowed in a breeze he couldn't feel.

Cloud held his breath suddenly, as he felt a gentle pressure rest on his back. It was so familiar and so warm that he was afraid to breathe. His body tensed, and he could hear a soft sigh behind him. Turning his head slightly, he caught a glimpse of pink over his shoulder. He didn't move, afraid that if he did she would shatter and this dream _vision? w_ould end.

"Cloud." Her voice came softly to his ears, gently echoing in the emptiness surrounding them. He didn't notice how tightly his hands were clenched until his nails carved crescents into his palms. Cloud finally had to let go of the breath he'd been holding, doing it slowly so he wouldn't disturb the surface of the lake he envisioned. It sounded so much like her, so amazingly beautiful and clear. It was a voice he hadn't heard in far too long, and he was afraid that he was only dreaming again. Afraid he would wake up, like he had all the other times, or that the dream would suddenly transform and morph into something horrible.

"It's good to see you."

Cloud hesitated.

It _sounded_ like her. There was no mistaking that beautiful, gentle voice. It gently caressed his ears and filled his entire body with a familiar warmth and comfort, and he _hoped_ it was her. But Cloud, in all of his endeavors, knew better than to let his trust go completely. It's happened before, and that's usually when the worst of them came. He hadn't had one in so long, he must remember to keep his guard up and be aware for the first sign of dan-

She giggled, and his heart melted at the soft laughter that tickled the air. "Relax." She said, and Cloud could feel her weight shift. He turned his head a bit further, looking until he could see the edges of her large pink bow and the plaits of her thick chestnut braid. He continued turning, until his torso and the rest of him followed. Once he could see her completely, he knew this was real. He could hear it. The planet, Gaia. He could hear and see the whispers of green that thread itself around them, curling and wisping off of Aerith's body with the gentle, fragile grace of spider silk in the air, disappearing into transparency. He knew then that this was real, and that this was really..

"_Aerith.._" He breathed, his voice barely audible, barely a whisper in the still air.

When she looked at him, turning herself a little so she could see him over her shoulder, Cloud felt himself at a loss. Her eyes, vibrant and full of life, were so.. _green, _so vividly green. "Hmm?" She asked, clasping her hands behind her.

Despite himself, he felt his lips tug at the corners. "It's.." He began, absentmindedly startled at the crack in his voice. "Good to see you, too." He couldn't think of what else to say, still afraid this would end prematurely.

Aerith turned then, and he was eternally grateful that the smile on her lips was as beautiful and warm as it had been when he'd last seen her. Her green eyes held nothing but love and understanding and he could almost feel his heart breaking again. She gently straightened out her dress with her palms, clasping her hands behind her again and tilting her head at him.

"Did you miss me?" She asked playfully, the smile broadening on her face with a small flash of white teeth.

"You know I did." Cloud said after a short moment, unable to hold back a small smile of his own. It was relief. It was welcome relief. It'd been so long since he'd seen her, not since after the last battle with Sephiroth and the Remnants. How long ago had that been now..?

Aerith reached up, gently dragging her long braid over her shoulder. "It's.. been awhile, hasn't it?" She asked, as if sensing his thoughts, looking down at her fingers as she played with the thick pleated braid. When her eyes came back to him, they were crinkled a little.

"Yeah." To say it'd been awhile was a bit of an understatement. He didn't know how time worked in the Lifestream, if it ran along the same parallels as the physical plane. It was with this uncertainty he elaborated. "Nearly two hundred years, Aerith."

She grimaced then, making a small face and letting go of her braid. Placing her hands on her petite hips, Aerith looked him over, her eyes finally resting on his face as she smiled at him. "Two hundred years.. and you haven't aged at all, Cloud. I'm jealous." Aerith pouted in good nature.

Cloud wasn't too certain how to approach his age and appearance. It was an awkward subject to talk about. He knew why he didn't age, why he'd lived as long as he did. It wasn't exactly something he'd expected as a side effect of the Jenova Cells and was definitely not anything he was proud of. He felt out of place sometimes, alienated. He would've never in a million years had guessed this fate, had ever thought he'd outlive any of his friends and be left to himself like this. His most ambitious dream had been to join SOLDIER, like the great Sephiroth. If he could've done just that, he had planned on being able to die happy. Sometimes, when he lost himself in thought, he'd consider the consequences of fate and what if's. What if he'd passed the first SOLDIER exam? What if he'd never left Nibelheim? What if no one, then, would've been able to defeat Sephiroth? So, settling after a moments hesitance with a small grin of agreement, he briefly deterred his eyes at his response.

"Yeah."

There must've been some tone in his voice that slipped out. He felt rather than saw her move, and then her small hand briefly touched his cheek, fingertips brushing aside a stray spike of his blonde hair from his face. When he lifted his eyes, he was a little startled to see the difference in her green eyes. She looked into his own directly, and he found he couldn't move beneath the weight of her stare. She looked so deeply that he could see green wisps of energy moving within her iris', shifting together and molding before breaking apart again. It reminded him of the sand beneath the ocean as the sun filtered through the waves, twisting and arcing in a beautiful, haphazard design.

"We miss you, Cloud. All of us. You're never alone, you know. We may not be able to talk to you, or comfort you. But we're always with you." Her gentle voice reached his ears, and the depth of understanding he felt there was enough to make his knees weak. Cloud never bothered anyone with his thoughts; the fact that even though he still had Nanaki and Vincent, he knew one day he wouldn't have them anymore. It filled him with a sense of preemptive loneliness. He felt like.. such an outcast. No one really knew him, other than those two. The current ruler of Wutai, Yuffie's great great great great granddaughter knew of him only through legends and stories her parents had passed down for generations. He doubted she truly believed them, not that he really wanted her to. The less she knew, the better.

Other than that, he got what he wished for. Ironically, Cloud didn't want to be singled out. He preferred to always be just a passing stranger. It was easier that way. He found a living easily enough, using the one true skill he could employ with keeping himself separated. Generally it involved monsters and fighting. He even still delivered things, though with all the roadways available now there was growing less and less of a need for a super powered delivery boy. All too often, he felt over classed for anything this world had to offer. Strength like his might've saved the world once and made him a hero, but in a day and age made safer by alternate fuels, advanced technology and higher populations, it was unneeded. He supposed he would be considered a _discarded_ hero.

Cloud swallowed heavily in his thoughts. He missed all of them, his friends. Even with Nanaki and Vincent, there were times that were too often than not, where he missed everyone so much that it felt like he had no one left. Cloud never took his friends for granted and had cherished every friendship he'd had. He may not have been the best at expression his emotions, but he liked to think, to hope, that they still understood just how much he had cared about them. All of them. Aerith's words were still fresh in his ears, bare seconds had passed in a deep silence. He took in a deep breath, a bare nod of his head signifying his response.

Aerith seemed to understand, and her hand gently trailed down his cheek and rested on his shoulder as her smile only seemed to brighten. But there was a new uncertainty in her eyes, something of itself so unfamiliar on her face that Cloud couldn't help but become weary. His head tilted slightly, his bright blue eyes questioning.

Aerith bit her lip, lowering her hand and head for a moment. Collecting her thoughts, she looked back up and Cloud could feel the atmosphere change almost imperceptibly. "Cloud," She began hesitantly, "I.. ...We.. The Planet, I mean.. there's something we need you to do."

His head tilted just a little bit more, eyebrows drawing together in silent, cautious question.

Aerith hesitated again, the small frown unwelcome on her gentle face. Cloud could sense the Lifestream around them. The whispers in her voice fading as it measured its words. He knew it was being careful. The Lifestream itself wasn't a conscious thing, but rather made of an infinite amount of conscious memories and spirits. The collective thoughts were pooling together and it took time to form its words into something coherent. Aerith seemed to listen as well, and it was still Aerith's voice he heard.

"The planet is trying to heal, Cloud." She began slowly, considering her words carefully before speaking. Aerith seemed to be concentrating, listening to the whispers that Cloud could only detect as mindless static. "It's taken more than two thousand years from the initial arrival of the Calamity, and two hundred ever since Meteor.. But finally the scar left behind from Jenova has almost completely healed. The planet wants to move on, but there's something holding it back. There's something keeping Gaia from healing completely."

Cloud frowned slightly. Her words hesitated again, and he took this moment to fold his arms over his chest, hunching his back inwards slightly in a posture vaguely reminiscent of a man long ago. He felt with a sense of guilty dread and perception that he knew what she was talking about. What was holding the Planet back. She didn't even need to say it. The Lifestream was an immune system, recovering from a virus that had plagued Gaia for several thousand years. Jenova was a virus. He knew this. And as long as a single cell of hers existed, the damage she did could never be healed completely, there was always a chance she could still come back. He also knew that even as an unsuccessful clone, he held a large amount of Jenova cells still inside of him.

He was the reason the Planet couldn't completely heal. But.. what could he do? He didn't know if it would even work, and he doubted he could kill himself if he tri-

"No, Cloud." Her voice was firm, interrupting his thoughts. His eyes locked with hers and his frown returned.

"I don't understand, Aerith. If I'm the only thing keeping the Planet from healing, how can I..?"

"We don't want you to die, Cloud." Aerith said softly, and Cloud felt the weight of that settle on his shoulders. He had on some subconscious level eagerly jumped at the thought of dying. He was terrified of it, and for the past two hundred years had been secretly grateful he _couldn't_ die. But another part of him longed to join his friends in the Lifestream, if it would have him. He'd lived long enough. His strength was too much for this world, this time of peace. A warrior like him was unneeded. He knew of no one and didn't want to. Nanaki and Vincent would get over his loss, with time. He was certain of that.

Slowly she sat down on the bed of weaving, bending and flickering flowers beneath them, gently tugging on Cloud's hand until he sat next to her. Cloud pulled his knees up slightly in front of him, resting his arms on them as he looked at her. Aerith sat with her legs pulled closely beneath her, propped up on one arm as her other hand gently brushed over the tops of the flowers around them. At her touch, wisps of bright green energy flickered into the air from the petals, disappearing.

"The Planet is grateful for all that you've done. You _saved_ her, Cloud. You saved _us_." She looked up at him, her green eyes glistening. "I don't want you to think you have to do anything else for her, for us. For anyone. You've done so much, too much for anyone to ever ask anything else from you. I want you to understand this before I tell you anything else. Do you understand me, Cloud?" Her expression was earnest and strangely enough, stubborn.

Cloud took a moment before nodding hesitantly. He understood what she said, but that didn't mean he had to agree. Cloud still felt like he owed them all a great deal, all of them. Aerith especially. Aerith and Zack. Speaking of.. "How is he?" He asked impulsively, almost immediately regretting it. He was always afraid what happened to Zack in the Lifestream.

However the smile that erupted on her face was bright and fresh and new, and it dazzled him. She laughed softly, tendrils of brown hair falling over her cheekbones as her head shook side to side, seeming completely unsurprised by the sudden question. "He's fine. He's worried about you. He _misses_ you. And he hates all the noises and wishes everyone would shut up." Her nose crinkled at the phrase. "It's hard to hear him sometimes, but he tries. He's as stubborn as you. He knows he can go back at any time, but he's afraid he'll be turned into something silly, like a Chocobo."

Cloud couldn't help but smile at that. And unlike other smiles that were small and kept well in check, this one broke out welcome and open on his face. It was a beautiful, rare expression and he enjoyed it. Aerith seemed to also, her own smile growing even fonder. "I miss him." He said quietly, his voice soft in the whispers. Sometimes, he missed him more than everyone else. Zack had done so much for him, had _sacrificed_ so much for him..

"He knows." Aerith replied, tilting her head as her smile became smaller. But then suddenly she reached over and _pinched_ Cloud on the shoulder.

"Ow!"

"And he says to stop brooding so much! He says if you brood anymore than you already are he expects to find you sitting on an egg and covered in feathers!"

"Zaaaack.." Cloud groaned softly and Aerith's laughter sounded like bells. Even in the Lifestream the ex-SOLDIER still couldn't stop referring Cloud to those damn birds. It was good to see some things remain unchanging.

As the laughter faded and the vast field of flowers became silent, Cloud truly struggled not to disappoint his friend. He honestly did.

Thankfully, Aerith could see this and seemed more than willing to help him. Here in the Sleeping Forest, so close to the Forgotten City it was easy to speak with him. There wasn't necessarily a time limit, though for the Lifestream, a collective of thoughts and memories, it was like getting a hyperactive child full of sugar and asking them to remain still for several hours afterwards. There was so much to see and do and understand, to comprehend and learn. No matter how old the Planet was, it was still learning, always thriving and growing. To sit still was simply unacceptable. But it was making an honest effort.

"Cloud.. We have an idea." She began quietly, looking down as she fidgeted with a flower between her fingers. "That is, the planet.. Gaia is truly grateful for all you've done. She _wants_ to welcome you back to her. But she can't. Not.. not while you.." Aerith trailed, motioning a little helplessly with her free hand.

Cloud nodded a little, looking away from her and at his feet. "I know." His voice was soft, eyes half-lidded as he considered what would happen now. He had his answer. He couldn't go to the Lifestream, even when he died. He was _tainted_. No longer pure, possibly no longer even a part of the planet..

"Ow!"

Aerith pulled her hand back, rubbing her two fingers together threateningly. "What did we just tell you? Stop that!" She huffed, tsking at him softly. "Would you listen to me, before you make your assumptions?" She waited for him to acknowledge, only then continuing. "The Jenova Cells inside of you have become a part of you." She watched Cloud as he tensed, his chest holding a breath in. He refused to look at her, and Aerith bit her lip. "I'm sorry." She whispered, resting her hand over his shoulder carefully. She could feel his body vibrating beneath her palm, and her eyes glistened with sympathy. "But listen.. we've thought of a way to help you."

Cloud listened with a continuing sense of dread. What could possibly be done? Short of bleaching out his entire body, he thought sarcastically.

Aerith reached forward with her free hand, touching his own that rested off the angle of his elbow on his knee. He felt a small spark of energy, a soft cooling effect soothing its way through his body. Aerith kept her eyes even with his and he didn't look away, immersing himself in the comfort she provided. "Listen carefully, Cloud. Jenova was _defeated._ She can do no more harm. The only parts of her that remain are safely inside of you, they're harmless. They can do nothing, because there is nothing else of her. Do you understand?"

Cloud continued looking into her eyes for a few moments, before finally he had to turn his own gaze away. Instead, he stared at a flower by his feet, his blue eyes glazing over slightly. Aerith just barely heard his words as he spoke them. "The Reunion Theory. Pieces of Jenova joining the whole. But.. what's left of her is in me. All of it. I… I'm all that's left." _And they're a part of me now. Does that mean..?_ _Am I..?_ It was a terrifying realization, something he had, surprisingly, never considered before. And now that the idea had occurred, Cloud was horrified.

Aerith bit her lip again. "It's not what you think. Those cells are _dormant_, Cloud. They can't do anything-"

"What do you think is keeping me alive?!" He responded sharply, turning back towards her with a sudden, unexpected fierceness in his eyes. Aerith flinched and Cloud immediately regretted his reaction, his expression softening. His voice remained hard, though, cold and quiet. "They're not dormant, Aerith. They just have nowhere to go. I'm still alive because of them, and there's a chance they're just waiting for something to happen. What if they're just waiting for something to.. to call them.. A catalyst." Cloud's voice broke and he looked away, his weight shifting uncomfortably. It took only a moment for him to compose himself, but Aerith was already speaking before he could apologize again.

"Cloud," She said quietly, a little quickly. She had to stop his train of thought. "The planet can only _completely_ heal when _all_ of Jenova's presence is removed. Two thousand years ago, the Cetra managed to seal Jenova away and the planet had been able to begin the process. Gaia wants to seal her away again."

Being a little disbelieving, Cloud muttered, "How could it possibly do that?" And then it struck him. He blinked, startled, and looked over at her with a look of apprehension and disbelief.

Aerith answered with a small nod, her green eyes wide with worry.

There was a heavy silence between them then, and Cloud found himself conflicted. Moments ago, he'd been eager to find a way to die, to settle his debt and rest. But now, suddenly, he found himself full of apprehension and he found himself.. cautious. Weary, cautious and unsure, but surprisingly not afraid. He wasn't sure exactly what she'd meant by that, and was more than hesitant to ask. "What do you mean?" His voice sounded so small, he could barely hear it.

She tried to explain it the best way she knew how. "The planet can separate you and the Jenova cells you carry from herself," She thought carefully, "To keep you, everyone, and herself safe from the off chance of becoming reinfected as she heals. Once she's finished, Gaia thinks she can heal you after that, after she's rested from everything that's happened."

Cloud snorted briefly, unable to ignore the fact that there was still an _off chance_ of reinfection. He was a Gaia-damned _contagion_. He allowed himself to be bitter. "How long?" He choked down a breath of air.

"..We don't know."

"What will happen? ..I mean.. If I'm.. sealed away. What happens to me?"

Aerith's eyes softened. "You'll just go to sleep. When you wake up, you'll probably feel like you just closed your eyes."

"And everything else?"

"It will go on like normal."

Cloud inhaled deeply, considering the option presented to him. He still felt bitterness, and thought of how ironic it was he was being presented with such an alternative. The solution to death, apparently, was to sleep. To be honest, he thought, he wasn't really all that upset about the offer. He'd get what he wanted, kind of. Sure, he'd still wake up, and who knows how long it will be before then and how things would have changed. _If_ he ever woke up.

Gently, he leaned back until he lay in the field of flowers beneath him, arms folding beneath his head. He felt relaxed, suddenly, staring into the expanse of bright white sky as all traces of bitter resentment faded. There was silence surrounding them, and the field rustled and weaved softly in the unfelt breeze, whispers gently threading around the flowers.

He already knew his answer. He would do anything for her, anything she would ever ask of him. He knew the Planet needed him, and he would do what it asked of him also. Even if Aerith might think otherwise, Cloud owed everyone so much. It was the least he could do. And at least then, maybe, he could just age and die like everyone else. Maybe then, he could rejoin the Lifestream and be with his friends again. Everything would go back to normal and all of this would be just another memory.

Quietly, he spoke. "What do I have to do?"

"Sleep."

"Hm?" Cloud's blue eyes flicked her way curiously, half-lidded. Aerith had a gentle smile on her face, and he smiled back. She was always smiling, it was like a permanent fixture on her face. He hoped she never stopped. Her hand reached over, gently hovering over his face before threading softly through his spiky bangs, brushing all the way through his hair. He closed his eyes with a content sigh, feeling a deep warmth spread through his body. He could lay like this forever, he thought suddenly. With Aerith here, in her field of flowers. It was safe here and he felt like he was back at home with his mother. She would be in the kitchen, singing a song as she prepared lunch. He was laying on the couch with a glass jar in his arms, watching a bright blue and green butterfly flicker from top to bottom. Cloud remembered watching the butterfly until his eyelids couldn't stay open, and he drifted to sleep with the sun spilling through the window to keep him warm.

He could hear her singing now, and he noticed that she sounded a lot like someone he knew.. Something about flowers...

His last thought before he slipped into darkness was random.

_What about Fenrir?_

_

* * *

  
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**…_..............:`' ~ Author's Notes ~'`:................_**

_Kay, so, this is my first fiction. It's going to be a multi-chapter, not sure how long yet, though I'm pretty sure of decent size. So, I apologize in advance if that's not your cup of tea._

_It'll be a crossover between FF7 and FF8, and I hope you guys will enjoy it. Just to give you an idea of what's going to happen in this story, it's going to take place about 500 years after the events of AC. Another threat (new and old) to Gaia brings old heroes back into the fray of things, with the aid of some new friends. Vincent and Nanaki are obviously still around, and Squall will be around also. Keep a sharp eye out, though. Rumor has it there's going to be cameos and guest appearances!_

_Please review it. :( Tell me if you think I'm doing alright with the characterization, or any sort of canon knowledge. I altered a -few- canon facts, so I guess you might label this slightly AU. So, if whoever reads this can help me keep track of things I'd appreciate it, as well as informing me as to any mistakes they see in my writing, or any improvements. _

_Hmm. That's it for now. :D Hope you guys like it! Lemme know, kay?_


	2. The New Guy

_.:`'~ Legacy ~'`:._

_-=-=-=-=-=-_

_If I could save time in a bottle  
The first thing that I'd like to do  
Is to save every day  
'Till eternity passes away  
Just to spend them with you_

_-=-=-=-=-=-_

_**Chapter One**_

"I'll.. probably disappear.."

"_Just stay by my side! I won't let you disappear!_"

"Time.... place.. who I wanna be with.. I wanna go there! Where Squall and I promised. Squall! Let's go home! Where are you?!"

_...I can't find Sis._ ...Am I...all alone?

"Do you know where to go back to? Do you know how?"

"Will you be alright by yourself?"

_I'll be alright, Matron._

_Because I'm not alone._

_**I'm not alone**._

_If I call out, they will answer._

_"_Where is everyone!?_"_

"Rinoa! Where are you!?"

"Zell! Selphie! Quistis! Irvine!"

"Rinoa!"

_...Am I...alone?_ _Rinoa? I want to hear your voice._

_Which way...do I go?_

_I can't make it back...alone._

"Rinoa?"

_Am I...all alone again?_

_Where...am I?_

It felt like he'd been walking forever. The orphanage was gone, and the blackness he'd hopelessly been wandering in gave way to a desolate landscape that looked no better. As far as he could see there were only large slabs of dried mud and dirt, blanketed by dark grey skies. A static charge hung in the air, vibrating in his ears. He looked left, then right, and then Squall turned and looked behind him. Facing back to the front his lips parted and his brows drew together slightly. What now?

_I guess.. I start walking._

So he walked.

And _walked_.

And _**walked**_.

The only sound that accompanied him was a heavy static in the distance and the crunch of his boots on the ground. No matter where he looked, it was all the same. Desolate and dry with no one and nothing except for.. himself. His footsteps were repetitive, one right after the other and he soon became attuned to their metronome. One right after the other in a nearly hypnotic synchronization. He counted them after awhile, but when he surpassed three hundred footsteps his thoughts restlessly wandered.

_It just goes on.. and on.. What is this? Where is.. Where **am** I?_ With no end to the desert in sight and the horizon rimmed with black, Squall had no way of knowing how much time passed, if it went at all. He was somewhere still in the Time Compression, he guessed. Maybe he was trapped. He considered this to be a frightening but very real possibility. How would he get out? Maybe he should've stayed with Edea.. With Matron. Maybe she could've helped him. Instead, he he left, believing he could do it on his own.

No. Not on his own. His friends.. Everyone was depending on him, they were waiting for him! Squall shook his head, noticing how heavy his boots had become. His footsteps were dragging slightly and he forced himself to pick up his feet. They were supposed to be here. Why didn't they answer him?

"Rinoa! Zell!! Irvine, Selphie, Quistis, Edea?!" He called out again. His eyes widened as he realized his words held no sound, and no matter how loudly he shouted afterwards the static seemed to swallow the noise immediately, snatching it away before he could hear it himself. It was terrifying.

He wasn't even sure if he was walking in the right direction, there was no telling left from right in this place. If he turned around would he be going forward? It was disorientating and frustrating. He wanted to get back, he _needed_ to get back! He needed to see everyone again, he needed to make certain they were alright. He needed.. He needed his legs to cooperate with him.

Squall's path became tilted and it became hard to keep a straight line. He hunched over as he walked, lifting a hand to his face and rubbing at his dry eyes. The SeeD continued to push himself, forcing himself to keep walking, to keep his feet moving. They were the only thing he was certain of in this place. Their constant shuffling and the soft clinking of his belts the only anchor he had to keep from losing..

It felt like he'd been walking for an eternity. He no longer had the rhythmic metronome to listen to, it had long ago faded into something dull and shuffled, scraping harshly against the dried, barren wasteland beneath him. His legs felt like hot lead, heavy and burning and consuming. He wanted to stop, to rest. Squall stubbornly forced himself further, though. He had to make it. He just _had_ to. It couldn't be much further now, could it? There had to be.. some... some..

Lazily, he noticed he reached something. His head was lowered, and his eyes were barely open. He'd practically been sleep-walking in this timeless place, but now suddenly there was no where else to go. As he looked up, he found himself facing.. nothing. No dirt, no land. Nothing but an empty grayness that expanded forever, gently rolling like clouds. He choked back a noise, not wanting to acknowledge the silence he knew it'd make. Turning quickly, he looked behind him to see that it was gone. Everything was gone. Squall's lip curled a little and he turned further, all the way in circles. Everything was **gone**. _Everything__**!**_

There was nothing left, nothing at all! The land had disappeared from behind and all around him! It was.. just gone. His feet couldn't go on any longer and the static became so loud in his ears it was all he could hear or think of. All he could see were the rolling gray clouds, expanding outwards into never ending oblivion. Beneath him the land had become nothing more than a floating rock barely large enough for himself. All of that walking.. All of his calling, everything had been for nothing.

It was too much. The static was so deafening and he was so _tired. _Squall's legs, troopers they may be, finally gave up on him. He fell and _plopped_ to the waiting ground beneath him, disoriented and dizzy. His head spun as he swayed, struggling just to stay awake. To not lie down and fall asleep because if he did he felt like he'd never be found, he'd never get out of here and he'd be lost forever.

He'd never get out of here.

Quietly a suggestive thought made its way to him. It was careful, whispering in the back of his mind somewhere, just beneath the static. Maybe... maybe he'd always been here. What if...

What if it all had been just a dream?

Squall looked up, noticing a quietly disruptive change in the empty atmosphere. It was practically imperceptible, and as the single white feather drifted down to his open palm he didn't bother questioning how he'd known it was there. He looked down at the piece of white in his hand, slowly curling his fingers around it. The static whistled in his ears but he became aware of something else, a high-pitched tone. It sang to him and called to him, and Squall found his eyes becoming much too heavy.

Suddenly, everything exploded. Images raced through his head, spiraling into one another and replaying so viciously that it tore a soundless scream from his throat. His thoughts and memories merged together and it felt like something was clawing through them. Something alien that was tearing through him in a possessed frenzy in an attempt to learn everything he was, everything he'd come to known. It seemed to find something, and he felt a surge of it's own satisfaction rush through him as everything flashed green.

Then he was falling backwards and knew nothing.

_.:`'~ Legacy ~'`:._

"Bugo! Bugo!!"

In Cosmo Canyon, one thing was for certain. It was going to be hot. It was going to be hot and it was going to be sunny. The weather didn't really care what anyone thought of it, but it seemed to _like_ Cosmo Canyon. And the only way it could show its blessing was to give it all the sunshine it could possibly give, bursting from the seams with it and refusing to send any clouds whatsoever to dampen it's love. The weather didn't care if nothing grew on the land. The land was a fickle thing and the weather hated it. Always sitting in one spot and never flinching no matter what the weather threw at it, so pompous! So arrogant! So.. So take this, land! Take this sunshine and bask in it. Enjoy it, because everyone knew that the weather harbored a secret obsession on the land and this was it's only way cope.

Sadly, the weather's affections for Cosmo Canyon left it's unfortunate habitants to suffer from the heat. The sky above the desert surrounding the region was crystal and clear, bright and blue and never ending. Not a wisp of a cloud**(1)** in sight, no hint of any forthcoming and much needed (not to mention desperately desired) precipitation.

Bugo sighed at that thought, turning his head away from the blinding skyline to look to his fast approaching traveling companion. "Whatcha got Saitek?"**(2)**

The Chocobo's of Cosmo Canyon were well adjusted to their life in the desert. It was a pretty easy life, really. Pretty much a permanent vacation from everything. The days were long and smooth going and they had little to fear from predators. The scorched desert kept most of the other beasties away and whatever did make it in the desert was generally too small to be of threat to the birds. There was only one beast that could be considered a predator, but Nustle knew it had nothing to fear from the adult predator. It apparently didn't eat bird.

So, not being afraid of the bigger one, this smaller version was definitely nothing to fret over. The yellow Chocobo shook its head impatiently, turning its head to lazily watch the small creature trot up to its side. Pint-sized predator in the making or not, Nustle actually thought it was kind of cute. So he acted impulsively to let the little guy know this for the twentieth time today by stretching his neck out and pecking the little fellow on his flank.

"Ow! Nustle!" The creature hissed at him, baring its teeth and flicking it's fiery tail angrily. "Would you quit it?!"

"Kweh!"

Nustle heard it's rider laugh. Proudly it lifted its head, clicking and clacking its beak in accomplishment.

"Nustle likes you." Bugo said, his rich voice speaking endearingly. He reached forward to pat the yellow Chocobo, earning a a very pleased 'Kweh!' and a jiggle of feathers. Smiling at the Chocobo, Bugo looked down at the Lienliek standing at the birds feet. The small feline creature was still just a cub and just barely topped out past Bugo's knees. But he was full of energy and sometimes Bugo had a hard time keeping up. That's where Nustle came in, especially helpful on these exploratory outings. Bugo had only meant to head out as a way to pass the hot afternoon and had secretly hoped to escape without either of the cubs finding out. But trust it to Saitek to appear out of nowhere, as though he'd been planning it all along. Ah, well. The little Lienliek wasn't bad company and Bugo was actually enjoying their little walk.

"I found something!" The small cub appeared anxious, hopping its weight around from one foot to each of it's three others before back again. He looked around quickly, ducking his head and lifting it, his tufted ears turned backwards and it's flame-tipped tail beating the air.

"Oh really? And what's that?" Bugo asked, amused by the cub's enthusiasm. Saitek always found _something_ no matter _where_ they went. Which quite frankly amazed and appalled Bugo, who could only see desert for miles around. Desert and rocks, lots and lots of big rocks and boulders dotting the landscape around them. _Kind of like miniature mountains_, he thought. It was a particularly dry season, and the Elders blamed the obviously guilty weather for it. It's easy to say someone blamed the weather, though, but the Elders blamed it as if it were a tangible, real thing. Sometimes they'd even talk to it, cursing it and attempting to persuade it to just -get over- the damn land already and move on to bigger and better things. After all, there were plenty of fish in the sea! Right?

The cub looked up at him, giving him a sharp-toothed muzzled grin. "A person!" He practically barked.

"A what?" Bugo's smile flickered.

"You know, a person! I found 'em, he's just laying there. I think he's asleep. I poked him, but he didn't move. He's alive though, I can hear him breathing. He might be drunk, his face is all red." At any other time, Bugo would've found the quietly enthusiastic but solemn tone in Saitek's voice hilarious. Instead, he was alarmed at the words the Leinleik said.

"What? Really? Where?"

Overjoyed at Bugo's own seemingly enthusiasm, Saitek turned with a flick of his tail. "C'mon! It's not far!" Then he was bounding off, racing into the distance before Nustle would have a chance to catch up to him.

Of course, once Bugo whirled Nustle around the Chocobo scoffed at the pint-sized wannabe-predator-in-training and took off after him, it's own long and well experienced legs keeping pace without giving the small cub any more distance. In fact, Nustle thought, it was going to surpass him! The chocobo steeled itself over, lowering its neck for a more streamlined figure. Feeling it's rider settle down also it gave out a 'Kweh!' of encouragement. It was gaining, and with every hard step it was getting closer.. and closer.. And that tail was looking _so_ tempting, oh it just had to! Nustle opened its beak and stretched, _streeeetcheed-_

"Wark!!" Then squawked as it's rider suddenly jerked on it's reins, snatching its head up within inches of snapping onto that flickering tail. It took a few steps before Nustle came to a stop, stomping a clawed foot in agitation. It turned its head to give its rider one good glare but found that Bugo was already dismounting. Nustle's feathers flattened in apology. 'Kweh'? He asked.

But Bugo walked past him, over to where the small Lienliek had disappeared behind a particularly large cluster of smooth white rocks that tilted against each other for support. The cub turned his head, watching Bugo approach. He looked back down and lowered his head, snuffing the side of the unconscious figure at his paws. Huh. He didn't -smell- like he was drunk.

Bugo lowered himself next to the unconscious stranger, frowning. He looked him over and could see no injuries. The red face he immediately recognized as nothing more than sunburn, being the only real part of him exposed to it. But wearing black out here wasn't exactly a smart thing to do either. This kid was obviously not from around here. Sure enough to Saitek's words he was breathing, Bugo could see the rise and fall of his chest. Steady and going. He reached forward and touched the stranger's forehead, feeling how warm it was. There was a thin sheen of sweat covering the kid's skin, but other than that he looked fairly healthy, all things considering.

"Well.. Let's get him out of the sun. Poor guy probably got lost. Nustle!" He looked over his shoulder as the Chocobo approached, it's large clawed feet plopping happily across the desert. The saddle on its back tweaked and groaned, and its harness jingled as it lowered its head to poke the unconscious human with its beak. What a silly place for a human to sleep, Nustle thought. And then he thought that the human should wake up. It was common sense really, and the Chocobo was more than happy to oblige that thought with a sharp peck.

"Nustle!" Bugo exclaimed, swatting the bird's beak away from the poor man's jacket. _A jacket in the desert? Really?_

Nustle pouted. He was only trying to help. The bird kweh'd quietly, turning its attention to Saitek. The small wannabe-predator-in-training shriveled away, hissing at the Chocobo warningly. "Don't you even think about it, feather-butt!" Nustle tilted its head, practically _glowing_ with the innocent 'Who, me?'.

Bugo, meanwhile, was trying to lift the body off the ground. Saitek turned his attention away and helped as best he could by gently butting with his head and pushing with his body as Bugo hoisted the dead weight. Nustle watched them, finding this all pretty amusing really, but when they were ready the bird obediently lowered down, instinctively understanding what it's rider wanted. A heavy weight settled evenly over its sides and Bugo went about making sure that the guy wouldn't fall off from the Chocobo's gait on their way back to the canyon.

"Sai, why don't you go ahead and head back? Let the 'doc know we're bringing company so she can get ready for 'em. Alright?"

Saitek nodded eagerly. "Sure!" He said, his voice cracking a little. The Lienliek was just a cub, but he was more than willing to prove himself. He turned and bolted into the distance without hesitation, his red-furred form quickly dwindling into a speck on the blistering surface of the desert.

Bugo sighed, looking back at Nustle and the stranger draped over the bird's back. "We gotta' walk ahead of us." He grumbled, taking the bird's reins as he and the Chocobo headed off in the direction Saitek had gone moments before. Neither of them ever noticing the stray white feather gently sticking out from a crack on the dry, desert floor.

* * *

…_..............:`' ~ Author's Notes ~'`:................_

_1) Get it? Not a "cloud" in sight? Haha! Ha! Har. ...Ehh? Unintentional, I swear!_

_2) Saitek is my keyboard, but I think it's a spiffy name, don't you? It fits. I really like Saitek in this story, by the way._

_So how did ya'll like the first official chapter? That didn't take long at all, I'm pleased. I'm going to cross my fingers and hope I can get out at least, at **least **a chapter every week. Though there's a good chance more may come. I'm unemployed at the moment, and other than cleaning the house I have the time to spare. So, hurrah!_

_I hope I pulled Squall off alright. I yanked the poor guy right out from the Time Compression and deposited him in Cosmo Canyon. I always thought how it was interesting everyone was yelling about going to the right time and not getting caught in a time warp. And considering that the Time Compression was about time **and** space, it made my job easier for me. Did ya'll pay attention to his half?_

_I hope you don't mind a sprinkling of OC's. I don't think this story will have the proper depth without a few of them. None of them are too awfully important, though. Just supporting cast, really. We won't be seeing anything of Cloud for a bit, but when he does return the story will slowly start to focus on him and Squall and the Threat, as I call it. I'm not too creative with the naming. So for now you guys have to make do with Squall and Nanaki, who should pop up in the next chapter. Vincent will be coming along, too. But rest assured, Cloud -will- come back. He has to, he's the best._

_**Fun Fact: **The prologue went through about three different writings before I published it. The published version you guys are reading is actually an Abridged version. Ten pages compared to the original's of fifteen or so. Not much of an abridged, but abridged nonetheless. I still have a copy of those first two chapters and if anyone is curious to see how they differ I wouldn't mind letting you read them. There's a completely different take on the Aerith and Cloud conversation which changed the atmosphere almost completely, though the actual conversation remains roughly the same. The beginnings are different from each other but the endings are also the same. One of them also gives more precise information on just how the rest of AVALANCHE passed away. Know that the prologue's all ended the same though, and I had the same direction in mind for each version._

_Kay, I'm going to stop rambling now. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter, it's a bit more engaging than the last one I suppose. Thank you so much to Ithilas and b9 iNe for reviewing my prologue! It really made my day! :3_

_Me and my gargantuan author's notes._


	3. Readings

_.:`'~ Legacy ~'`:._

_-=-=-=-=-=-_

_I've found a reason for me  
To change who I used to be  
A reason to start over new  
and the reason is you_

_-=-=-=-=-=-_

For Squall Leonheart it was a painful process to wake up. He didn't remember falling asleep, but he did remembering dreaming. Strange dreams filled with rolling green waves of.. an ocean? An ocean that was just this _intense_ shade of green with white froth surging at the edges of every wave. He couldn't remember much else than that, that and the feeling of not being alone. It was strange, because the presence he'd felt wasn't familiar and was not exactly a welcoming one, either. It had been kind of creepy, honestly.

That wasn't the source of his discomfort upon wakening, though. No, the reason it hurt to wake up was because his body ached and his face burned and it felt like he'd been sleeping on a freaking _rock_. With a mental groan his eyes slowly opened and he brought his hand up to rub his forehead. He slowly sat up and realized he was in an unfamiliar place. The room wasn't too large and had enough space to comfortably fit a bed, not much else. It looked like it had been carved from rock, even the shelves of the walls were carved out of the same stone walls. Looking down, he realized that the reason it felt like he'd been sleeping on a rock was because indeed, he was sleeping on a rock. A slab of granite that jutted out from the wall behind him and covered haphazardly with sheets and rolls of fur. He also noticed his boots were gone, as were his belts and jacket. Squall scowled, never approving of _anyone_ touching his stuff.

Just where was he? Had he gotten out of the Time Compression? Where were his friends? His thoughts immediately turned to them, and he swung his legs off the cot to stand up. When he did though, the world decided at that moment it would like to dance with him, causing the room to spin in his vision. Squall's feet moved further apart for balance and he held onto the edge of the stone slab wearily. _Ugh._

"..two days.. now.."

"..in the rocks.."

"healthy... drunk.. wants to keep him."

There was an attempt to cover laughter. Voices echoed as they approached from behind the nearly closed door to the room he was in and Squall turned his eyes to it. One voice was higher and softer, obviously belonging to a woman. The other was a bit more gruff, but also a woman – he _thought_. And neither of the voices were familiar. Their footsteps stopped just behind the door and he could make out a few more undecipherable murmurings.

He kept quiet, straightening as he watched the door with no small amount of apprehension. A moment later and it swung open, revealing an unfamiliar woman standing there with her hand frozen on the door. She was short, and wearing different shades of brown in loose, draping clothing. Her dark brown hair was drawn back tightly into a bun with several picks sticking out of it, and from them dangled small beads and ornaments. Obviously startled by him standing there, she froze and her face deadpanned, but then her lips broke into a rich smile. "Oh! You're awake!" Her voice, he noted, was obviously the more gruff of the two. Not unpleasant, but not something you'd expect out of a woman of such small stature. She reminded him of Dr. Kadowaki, oddly enough.

A few moments passed and Squall had yet to say anything, making the short woman fidget for a little bit before continuing, "Are you feeling alright?" She finally asked, stepping through the doorway and approaching him slowly. Behind her, Squall caught a glimpse of movement just before a large, dark red and canine muzzle poked itself through the open door.

Squall stared at the creature for a long moment, letting the woman's question hang in the air. The beast looked back at him with a pair of bright blue-rimmed golden eyes curiously, its ears flicking forwards as the silence grew heavy enough he forced himself to answer.

"I'm fine." His voice was clipped and cold, it came out naturally that way. The beast at the woman's legs looked at him for a moment longer, then to the woman, and then back again. Stepping through the pathway, he realized that the feline doggish creature was actually quite large. It's shoulders reached the woman's hips, but it held its head hung low and he was certain that if it would look up, it'd easily surpass the woman's waist. The creature was covered in head to toe with dark red and brown fur, and he could see hints and flecks of graying white throughout the rich color. The edges of its muzzle were also a dark gray, whitening on the outer edges. It wore several beads and feathers throughout its thick black mane and the accessories gently clicked against each other as it padded silently towards him on over-sized paws. The most surprising feature of the beast, though, was the tip of its long and slender tail, topped off with a flame that flickered and burned brightly. The creature didn't seem at all concerned with it, and nor did the woman as the flame flicked this way and that, even brushing against the door behind her as she passed it.

Squall took a small step back, more of a shift in his weight than anything as he looked uneasily at both the creature and the woman. He didn't have a weapon and he wasn't sure how he'd fare without it against a monster this size, but he decided that he also wouldn't go down without a fight if it came to it.

Sensing his unease, the creature stopped immediately and lowered its head even further, its large and furry ears pushing back along its skull. "Don't be afraid." It said, and he was surprised to find out that the distinctly feminine voice he'd heard in the hallway had belonged to _her_. And she could _talk_. Needless to say, he was quite surprised at the realization that a _monster_ talked to him. It must've shown on his face despite his effort to remain neutral because the other woman suddenly began to laugh, her shoulders shaking.

"Denneh, you always have that effect on strangers! I keep tellin' ya, we should put warnings up all around the canyon so then everyone would have proper warnin'."

The wolf_cat? _like creature only seemed to be annoyed with the short woman's words, but despite the slight roll of her eyes she seemed to make a great effort of keeping still. Denneh didn't want to give the poor guy a heart attack, though she had to commend his ability to keep himself standing. She's had more severe reactions to her unannounced presence, and counted it lucky that this stranger was doing a good job of trying to appear nonchalant about it. That didn't stop her from smelling the shock and weariness he was letting off, though. Her nose crinkled slightly_. _

_Besides,_ she thought wryly, _It's not like we get visitors often._

With a mental sigh she gently began to speak, "My name is Denneh. My friend there is Tessa. She and I have been caring for you the last two days you've been here. Are you certain you're feeling alright? No headaches or nausea? Any sort of aches or pains at all?"

He was more surprised to find out that not only was the monster talking to him, but it was _concerned. _Squall had to admit she seemed genuine enough, but he couldn't help to maintain his tense posture. The woman, Tessa, didn't seem at all concerned by the speaking beast, though. If anything she seemed completely at ease, playing with a curl of hair that had fallen out of the bun as she kept a big and bright smile planted on her bronzed face. He tried to ease up a little bit after noticing this, shifting his weight before shaking his head briefly as he looked at Denneh. "I'm... fine." He repeated, and couldn't help but feel a little strange talking to an.. ...animal?

Denneh looked at him for a brief moment further before nodding, satisfied with his answer. "Good. I'm glad you're awake, actually. If you'll follow us we can get you something to eat, if you are hungry?"

Squall shook his head. Not mentioning a talking monster with a flaming tail, he had more important things to worry about at the moment. He didn't have time to eat. He had to find Rinoa and all of his friends, he had to make sure that they were alright before anything else could happen. There was no telling where they were.

Tessa clicked her tongue disapprovingly. "Now now, you gotta eat_ somethin'_!" She said, frowning at him and resting her hands on her hips. The pose reminded him of Matron, getting ready to scowl and lecture him after he'd done something and for a brief moment he had to choke back a feeling of sheepish guilt. But it wasn't Matron and the tone of voice she used only irritated him. Before he could respond, though, Denneh spoke up again.

"Tessa, it's alright. If he's not hungry he can eat later."

"But Denneh, it's not _healthy_!"

Denneh sighed, her eyes rolling again as she tilted her head up to look at Tessa. The woman just scowled down at the creature, before hmphing softly and folding her arms. She looked over at Squall for a moment, her eyes traveling up and down his body. Then suddenly her smile was back full-force on her face as if it'd never gone. "That's fine. When you do get hungry make sure to tell me, alright? No need for you to go getting' sick on us."

There was a long moment of silence in the air, then suddenly the smile widened into a mischevious grin. "Say, Den, I should go let the others know he's awake, ya? They'd probably like to, y'know, know."

At this Denneh gave the woman a pointed stare. "Why don't we let him get his bearings first? Stars know he doesn't need _that_ first thing waking up."

To this, Tessa cackled. Yes, _cackled_. Squall had no other way to describe it. Quite frankly, he was bothered by it. Bothered because the two of them were talking as if he weren't even there when in fact he _was_ there and he was irritated and impatient and confused and worried and.. "Was there anyone else?" He asked suddenly, his question drawing both of their attention back to him. Tessa looked puzzled and Denneh looked curious at the sudden, unexpected question.

"Did you have someone else with you?" Denneh asked, concern growing in her face. It's been two days since Bugo and Sai had found him. If there was someone else wandering in the desert this long without food or water.. She immediately began formulating a search and rescue in her head. She and Nanaki would have to go this time, their sharpened senses should be able to pick up scents that the humans couldn't see. Each of them could head a party of riders and chocobo's to search the perimeter of Cosmo Canyon. If they were lucky they might find something before-

"No."

His voice was surprisingly full of disappointment, fishing Denneh from her thoughts as she looked up in confusion. Then why did he..?

"I was.. alone." Squall sighed inwardly. No one else... Where were they, then? His eyebrows drew together softly in thought, gray colored eyes narrowing as he considered his options. Well, first thing's first, he decided. He should find out where _he_ is. And, he begrudgingly thought, probably _when_ he is, also.

"Where am I?" He asked suddenly, voice breaking the uneasy silence between them in the room.

"Cosmo Canyon," The wolf creature supplied helpfully, it's fire-tipped tail weaving through the air in graceful arcs. Squall frowned at the name. Cosmo Canyon.. Where and what is _that_?

Denneh continued through his thoughts, "We found you two days ago in the desert a few miles from here. How did you get there, if I may ask? There isn't another town for **quite** a few days. Did you walk?"

He considered his answer, unsure of what to say. He could just tell her the truth, but he doubted it'd go very well. And _if_ this wasn't his proper time, then there's a chance he might upset something else either in the future or the past, if that was even possible. But if he didn't tell her, then how was he going to find any information on his friends? Squall decided to take the safe route.

"I got lost." He shrugged a little. It wasn't a lie. He _was_ lost, after all.

"You got.. lost?" Tessa finally spoke up, one eyebrow raised in disbelief. "How the heck did you get _lost_? Was you part of a caravan or something?"

Squall shook his head. "It doesn't matter. I need to find my friends, they might be around here somewhere. Are we near Esthar?" He hated resorting to that city, but it was the only place he could go to where he was sure he could find something. Or hopefully, some_one_.

The other two stared at him for a long, drawn out moment, glancing at each other before back again.

"Es..thar?" Tessa asked cautiously. "Is that where you're from?"

"Not really." He said, eyes narrowing at their reactions. That didn't bode well. He decided to try somewhere else, a familiar name anyone should recognize. "What about Galbadia?"

"Galbadia?" Once again, Tessa's confused voice worried him. She should at _least_ know that name. Tessa clicked her tongue softly, her mind obviously trying to remember. "Y'know, there was this one place.."

"Gongaga?" Denneh suddenly spoke up, her voice hopeful as she watched Squall for recognition.

Squall scowled. "No, Galbadia. Balamb?"

"Galbadia Balamb?" Tessa seemed beyond confused. She eyed him and he got the feeling she was starting to think he was joking with them.

"**No.** _Balamb_. What about it?"

They both shook their heads. Squall growled softly. "Dollet? Timber? Deling? Winhill!?"

Each location was responded with a shake of their heads and by the end of it Squall felt himself grow quite cold. He remained very still as he stared at them and attempted to make sense of this. Okay. First the facts. He was in Cosmo Canyon, a place he didn't recognize. Neither of his guests recognized either of the towns and cities that they _should_ recognize. So, a logical explanation would be that he was in a _completely_ different time. Either so far back none of those places had come to fruition yet (though certainly they'd recognize Esthar?) or far into the future everything had changed _completely_. And apparently where random creatures could bear sentient intelligence and talk.

He lifted a hand to his face, gently applying pressure to the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. Closing his eyes, he noticed that his heart was beating rapidly in his chest. Was he afraid? Squall thought about that for a second, before realizing that yes. Yes he was afraid; he was afraid he was lost and that his friends were lost also. He was afraid that somehow, at some point, something had gone wrong and now here he was in some alternate reality where nothing he knew existed and his friends--

It was unacceptable. His eyes flashed open and he fixed both Denneh and Tessa with a stare that had previously sent students running. "Where are my things?"

Denneh tilted her head towards the other woman. "Tessa, his things-"

"I'll get them." The short woman said all too eagerly, the stare that he'd been giving them more than enough to give her the heebie jeebies. Quickly she turned and left the room, glad for an excuse to get away. It looked like that poor kid was ready to kill someone.

Denneh approached Squall carefully, her voice cautious. "Are you alright?" The poor boy looked like he was going to have a nervous breakdown. She hadn't recognized any of the names he'd spoken, and he was obviously distressed by that fact. She felt sympathy for him, knowing he must be far more lost than he made out to be. And what of his friends..? "Where.. are you from?" She asked curiously.

Squall continued glaring at her. It wasn't her fault, he knew this, but he needed a target for his frustration and she unfortunately was the only thing available at the moment. "Balamb." He said, the word sharp from his teeth. He mentally frowned at the creature, selfishly disliking how his stare hadn't chased her away. He had to admit, though, he didn't really _want_ to scare them away. He just..

"Balamb.." Denneh tasted the word in her mouth, her bright golden eyes thoughtful. No, it didn't ring any bells whatsoever. The closest thing would've been Kalm, but that was too far a distinction to have any relation whatsoever. If it hadn't of been for the absolute belief in his tone of voice, Denneh would have certainly thought that he'd lost more than a couple of days while he'd been out. But there was such a sincerity in his voice and his eyes held such frantic, distressed _concern-_

"Here we are!" Tessa chirped as she came back in, carrying in her hands a pair of sturdy leather boots, covered by a couple of thick belts and a leather, fur-tufted jacket. She set them on the cot next to Squall, who sat down on it as he took the boots and began to tug them onto his feet. He remained silent as he did this, his eyes lost in thought and secretly glad to have something familiar back with him.

_I need to find them._ They had to be here, somewhere. They _had_ to. There was a chance of it, he was certain. If he was here there was a chance one of them, or maybe even all of them, made it through too. And if there wasn't then maybe he could find something, someone—No, they'd be here. He knew it. He knew they were here, somewhere. He just **had** to _find_ them. Unfortunately he had absolutely no idea where to start.

"Hay. You ain't leavin', are ya?" Tessa said, frowning at him.

Squall ignored her, finishing with the last buckle on his first boot as he grabbed the other one and jerked it onto his other foot.

Denneh stepped forward, her head stopped just before his bent knee. Her tail was lowered and still and her ears were drooped slightly as she looked up at him. "Maybe you shouldn't leave in such haste. The next town is at least a two weeks walk, and it doesn't really seem like you know where you're going."

He didn't deny what she said, but Squall continued getting ready despite the fact. His second boot was tied and buckled and he stood, pulling one belt out and setting it over his hips, clipping it as it sagged on one side. The second belt quickly followed and then he took his jacket, sliding his arms through it and settling its weight over his shoulders. He hadn't had his weapon when he'd been in the Time Compression's desert, or whatever it had been. He doubted it had come with him. "Just tell me which direction." He finally said, fixing Denneh with a cold and determined stare. Like before, however, she appeared unaffected by his glaring.

"Just wait a minute." She said, huffing beneath her breath as her tail flicked slightly. "Think about what you just said. Direction to where, exactly?"

The SeeD stared at her some more. It was a good question. Where _would_ he be going? He didn't even know where he was, much less anything else in this place. Squall let out the breath he'd been holding with a heavy sigh, shaking his head. "I don't know." He admitted.

"Do you know where your friends are?"

".....No. Not really."

Denneh nodded with his answer. "Stay for awhile. At least eat something. If you can tell us a bit more about what's happening, maybe we can help you. Does that sound acceptable?"

Squall frowned slightly. The more time he wasted the greater chance his friends were out there getting lost or hurt or farther away from him. But he needed to know where to start, where to _look_. He could borrow a map from them, get a layout of the land and maybe they could give him an idea of where to start his search.. And, a small voice in the back of his mind suggested, a little bit of food wouldn't hurt, either.

"Fine." He said with a quick, curt nod.

Tessa and Denneh both seemed pleased now, as Tessa squealed with delight and ran out the door, leaving a bewildered Squall behind. Denneh sighed. "Forgive her, she's going to cook."

Squall second-guessed his decision just then, wearily asking, "Should I be worried?"

The creature smiled at him in a surprisingly friendly expression despite the mouth full of sharpened teeth, and chirped,"Not at all."

_.:`'~ Legacy ~'`:._

Orbiting above the Planet, the space station Shera XIII circled around the world in it's two hundred and fiftieth day of operation. Much like it's predecessor, the brand spankin' new Shera XIII was a research facility manned by a crew of ten, who were proud to be a part of it. They'd been on the station since it had been launched into orbit and were fairly comfortable with the routine of living in the vacuum of space.

So comfortable were they that they didn't notice the fluctuations at first. Johnny, one of the primary research technicians, was the first to notice. The notice came in the form of a charted graph that had been automatically printed out a couple of days previously, picked up, and then laid in a stack of other graphs all waiting to be looked at, compared with, and recorded. It was Johnny's job to take these hourly graphs and mark them down, noting any distinct changes or fluctuations in their readings. Unfortunately, it was a job Johnny had performed every day for the past year and it had long ago lost it's sense of priority. But today, Johnny sighed, was his day to catch up.

He stared dismally at the stack of charts and graphs, his lips turned into a disapproving frown. He continued to stand there for several minutes as if by sheer force of will the pile of work would dwindle and disappear before his very eyes. In fact, he tried doing just that. He concentrated _really_ hard and narrowed his eyes, holding his breath until his veins popped out on his forehead and he saw spots in his vision. Releasing the tension in his body he took a breath of air and found that, no, they did not disappear and if anything they looked even _bigger._

Whimpering, he apologized to the gods of paperwork, setting his cup of steaming coffee down on the table next to him as he pulled a chair up beneath him. Situating himself, he looked down and kicked a few wires out from beneath his feet. Then he reached over and flipped on his computer, leaning back in the rolling chair as he waited for it to boot up. The machine clicked and whirred and beeped, and Johnny tapped a beat along to it. He grabbed his cup of coffee and took a careful sip of it, flinching the moment the hot liquid touched his lips. Quickly setting it back down, he shook his head. "Too hot."

Picking up a pencil, Johnny studied the tip of it before pulling out a small hand sharpener, proceeding to twist and shave the pencil until it had a nice sharp and pointed edge for him to work with. Then he straightened the frame of an image next to the computer monitor, sighing happily at the photo of a large black dog with a goofy, tongue-lolling grin. He swiveled in his chair a little.

Johnny was dawdling and he knew it.

His eyes turned to the pile of graphs sitting ever patiently on the cart next to him. He tapped his pencil some more. Shaking his head with a sharp and resigned sigh he grabbed the first piece of over-sized paper and straightened it out on the desk before him. The computer had finished booting up, so he immediately began entering numbers and calculations that the graph proudly displayed just for him. After he was done with the sheet, he stamped, rolled the paper up and paper-clipped it, then set it into a previously empty wire cart. Each graph took about twenty minutes to record and before long Johnny felt he was making good time.

Two hours after he'd begun his back was stiff and his coffee cold. Johnny was in a dull mood and his brain had long gone as he fell into the monotony of this job. He was busy watching the numbers of the graph begin to blur in front of him when he finally noticed a small flashing icon in the corner of the computer screen. Interested and eager for a diversion he looked up, staring at it stupidly. He hadn't seen one like that before..

Lifting a finger and tapping the icon on the screen, the computer immediately offered him a window that showed interlacing blue and green lines across a black background. For the most part they were absolutely the same, steady and unbroken. But there was a single instance when the green line rose high and sharp before falling back into place with it's partner.

"Huh."

Johnny eyed the mark, noting the date and time it had taken place before he noticed the icon was still flashing in the corner of the screen. He tapped it and like before a graph popped up with the same exact occurrence, but in a different location. He stared at them for a moment, his mind going over the possibilities. A glitch, perhaps? No. He was pretty sure that a glitch happening at the same time in different locations would be too coincidental. Then what were they? He hadn't seen anything like it in his stay on the station, nor in any of the research he'd done before graduating at college, neither the extra training he'd received at the Corp. In short, he hadn't seen an instance of it in his lifetime. There'd never been any blips or spikes or jabs or tremors. It's always been just straight, sharp and predictable.

And that was why this suddenly made his day quite exciting. Quickly, he recorded the information into a small portable disk drive and took it with him as he left the room. He tugged on his wind breaker as he did so, ignoring the voice in his head that reminded him of the sheer stupidity of wearing a _wind_ _breaker_ on a freaking space station. Hoping he wasn't over-reacting and wouldn't get reprimanded, Johnny sought out his research supervisor, finding the woman in the small and humble lunch room of the station.

When he found her, he was overcome with a sudden sense of silliness. He was definitely overreacting, he was too eager for something to happen and he deduced that was why he really hoped this _was_ something. Otherwise, it may just be time for that vacation. Straightening his posture and checking over his clothes, smoothing out wrinkles and hoping his hair looked alright, he took a deep breath and walked over to her, flashing his most charming smile. "Dr. Conolly, how are you today?"

His supervisor, the one renowned Dr. Conolly was a woman known for professional and practically aristocratic air of superiority. She had the right to be. As leading scientist in the study of _Spiritus Profusum _theories, she practically owned this space station. It was one of two stations devoted to the study of her precious specialty and she took it quite seriously. A lot of scientists were quite skeptic of the research and preferred to go their ways in advancing technology and lifestyles, considering the _Spiritus Profusum_ study to be archaic in nature. Dr. Conolly fiercely defended the study with a stubborn, regal tenacity that made Johnny's heart beat just a little faster in his chest.

It didn't hurt that she was quite attractive, either. She had the most gorgeous strawberry blonde hair he'd ever seen, falling in ripples and waves just past her shoulders with ribbons of reflected rainbows when the light hit it right, and her sky blue eyes sparkled with such intelligence and she had this way of turning her lips _just so_.. He sighed happily when she looked up at him, giving him one of her regal smiles. "Good evening Johnathon," She greeted him, her smooth high tone music to his ears, "I'm doing well. Thank you for asking." She then promptly returned to her meal.

Johnny died a little on the inside.

He cleared his throat, "Uh.. Doctor, I uh, I found something interesting I think you should, you know, maybe take a look at."

She looked back up at him, her eyes guarded with a small amount curiosity. Flinching inwardly, he quickly added, "Uh, that is if you have time."

Dr. Conolly rose from her chair, taking her half empty plate with her. "Of course I do. It must be something interesting for you to come to me, during my lunch, with it, after all. Right?" Smiling at him like an angel, she took her plate to the sink and dumped it into a small stream of running water, shutting the faucet off after a moment. Turning back to him she slid her hands into the coat of her professional white coat and nodded just once. "So, what is it?"

Johnathon second guessed the entire reason he'd come here. He really, _really_ hoped this was worth bothering her with. "Uh, well, let's go to the lab and I'll show you. If you'll, uh, you know, follow me?"

Her eyebrows raised and her smile grew a little forced. "Of course. Lead the way."

Turning and leaving the room with her in tow, Johnny made the trip to the lab quick and quiet. He sensed waves of apprehensive disapproval rolling from her shoulders, but he hoped what he had to show her would impress and subdue her. Once they entered the lab he made haste to the closest computer, sliding the disk into a slot as the computer obediently popped a window. Tapping it, he opened both files and overlapped them on top of each other, stepping aside. "I found this today while going over the surface charts. According to them, this happened about two days ago. I thought it might've been a glitch but given the separate locations I wanted to get a second opinion and," He added on sheepishly, "Your opinion is one of the best out there."

"Hm." Was his only response, and Johnny had a mental image of grasping his beating heart in both hands and crushing it between his palms until it became nothing but worthless mushy red goo. Leaning over the desk next to him, Dr. Conolly gently pushed the bridge of her glasses -Wait she wore glasses?- closer to her face. Unfortunately, even her great mind wouldn't be able to discern any more information from the graphs on the screen. Instead, she tapped her chin as she straightened and considered the options.

What made her mind was the knowledge that no spikes had been recorded in over a hundred years. The machines were top of the line technology and they did their job without fail every day ever since they'd been activated. There was no justification for an error, but there was no reason to get excited about it either. Still, she couldn't stop herself from feeling just a _little_ bit of a flutter in her heart and there may have very well been some sort of personal interference with her decision. "Well, Johnathon," She began, looking over at the eager technician as he beamed hopefully. "It's not something I want to ignore. Contact the surface and send a message to Cosmo Canyon. Ask them to check out their coordinates. Make a copy of this disk for me, and I'll get ahold of Midgar to ask them to send a small team to the Northern Continent."

Johnny nodded enthusiastically, eager to gain her approval either way. "Yes ma'am!" He said, "Right away!"

Dr. Conolly smiled that beautiful smile at him and his heart practically exploded into thousands of ruby pieces. "Very good, Johnny." Then she turned and walked out of the lab with her hair sparkling and her heels clicking on the tile floor as Johnny melted into a puddle of lovesick goo. She'd said it. She'd finally said it. _Johnny._

…_**..............:`' ~ Author's Notes ~'`:................**_

_Hmm. Not sure I like this chapter so much. I had a hard time getting Squall's character down the path I wanted him to take and the conversation seems forced to me. Not to mention it's so.. Iunno, not flowy. Iunno, what do you think? Be honest with me! I need opinions and observations to know better! _

_Seriously, let me know. D: I really don't know if I did him right. Squall was my first true love in Final Fantasy but it's been so loo~ong since I've played the game._

_This chapter initially also had a brief scene with Vincent in it, but I decided against it and will be moving it to chapter three. I apologize for more OC's! I wouldn't do it if I could away without it, but seeing as how there's not much of the original cast for me to play around with, I have no choice._

_In the next chapter you can expect to see Vincent (previously mentioned), as well as the arrival of one Rinoa Heartilly. Nanaki also finally shows up and there's a strange observation made at Cosmo Canyon's still functioning Observation Tower. Squall gets tag-teamed and the reader learns a bit more about the way the world is working five-hundred years later._

_Still no Cloud, I apologize! I want him back more than anything, but unfortunately he won't be back for a bit yet, still. Keep looking, though. You won't be disappointed, I promise! And if you are, you can sock me over the head with Nustle. In the meantime, keep an eye out on my teasers. You'll find scenes I've written pre-emptively for Legacy in there, ones without spoilers!  
_

_**Fun Fact:** In Chapter One, I originally intended Squall to be found by Nanaki and cubs on their way to Midgar for the infamous roaring scene. I realized that with him being incapacitated for two days though it'd make their journey pretty difficult. So that's why you got Bugo, Nustle and Sai instead!  
_


	4. Discoveries

_.:`'~ Legacy ~'`:._

-=-=-=-=-=-

_Lady, lost in time  
Lady, let me try  
Never lose the faith  
Keep on trying once again_

Tell me what you feel  
Tell me what you need  
If you're calling for some help on your way  
... I promise. I'll be there ... 

-=-=-=-=-=-

For the longest time she thought she'd gotten lost. Eventually and one by one her friends had all disappeared and their voices had faded, and all she could think about was getting back to Squall. He wasn't anywhere around, though, and she was even more frightened at the thought that maybe he'd fallen into a hole or warp and gotten _himself_ lost. No matter how she called for him, he didn't answer. Her only answer was the echo of her voice and the clicking of her shoes. She was desperate to find him when she remembered that place. That special place and the promise they'd made. It was a field full of high green grass and flowers, with a bright blue sky and shimmering clouds. They had promised to meet there if they got lost from each other.

Rinoa remembered waiting. And waiting. There had been nothing around her but for the strong breeze rustling through the meadow and the slowly moving clouds above her. She was growing worried and fearful that she may never see Squall again. That's when she remembered his ring, the ring she'd taken from him because she'd wanted something of him to keep with her forever. Looking down, her hand clasped the necklace gently, fingers threading through the chain as the ring lay in her open palm. She didn't know how long she had waited, staring at Griever as though it could bring Squall back to her.

But then she had heard something, felt it rumble through the air and could see a bright flash of color behind her. Turning around quickly, hope seized her heart as a powerful gust of wind pushed her back. There was another flash of light that blinded her, filled her vision with white and green that revolved around everything. Flinching away from it she lifted her hands defensively as the wind knocked her from her feet, sending her body soaring through the air-

"_**Squall**_!"

Rinoa Heartilly sat up too quickly, her head spinning as she raised a hand to her temple. _What.. Where am I?_ Looking up, she realized she was no longer in the field. It was gone, and the sense of vertigo she'd felt as she'd been thrown into the air was only just diminishing. She felt nauseated, waiting for the room to settle down around her and come into focus. It was really dark and hard to see, but she could tell it wasn't a big room. There was only one door to it and as her eyes adjusted she realized she wasn't in just a room, but something more of a one-roomed cabin. There was only one way in or out, the thick wooden door currently closed. A small stone fireplace sat to her right on the other side of the room, embers and low flames of an old fire still struggling to stay alive. It was hard to see because it was night, she could tell that much by the darkness outside the single, lone window next to the door. The only light she had was from the fire struggling in the fireplace.

Turning on the comfortable, but dusty and worn out bed, she swung her legs over the side and straightened up. The room looked desolate and bare. A table was on the wall opposite of the fireplace and to her left with an empty basked sitting on it. There was a large chest next to the door, but other than that it was practically empty and abandoned. As her eyes adjusted, she realized that despite it obviously being night there was still some sort of light coming from the window.

Rinoa stood slowly, walking carefully across the small space until she reached the window. Her dark eyes widened slightly at the sight that awaited her. Snow. And lots of it. It layered on the ground thickly, and the scarce bare trees outside were absolutely covered with it. The light came from the bright moon that reflected from the snow, giving the entire scene an eerie and spooky atmosphere. Where _was_ she? Where was everyone else? Did they make it back? Was she the only one..?

Suddenly she spotted movement in the distance outside of the cabin. The area around the small abode was cleared of debris and forestry, and the trees didn't start until she would guess fifty feet away. The land was sloped, though, and in front of the cabin it rose up in a gentle roll of a snow covered hill. It was just beyond the peak of this roll that she could make out a figure moving in the distance. It took a few seconds of observation until she realized it was coming _toward_ her. It moved with an unnatural grace, barely seeming to walk so much as _float _over the ground. And what _was_ it? Tall, dark and definitely dangerous. Rinoa turned away quickly from the window, her eyes scanning the room for a weapon. The only thing she could see that would work was a worn out, rusted iron poker tilted against the fireplace.

Stepping away from the window quickly, she grabbed it in one hand and stood next to the door, opposite the window. She wasn't certain if it would push or pull open, but she was pretty sure it was opening on the other side of her, which meant she would hopefully be able to catch the dark figure with surprise. Of course, there's a chance it might just be passing by. _Yeah, right._ She rolled her eyes, tightening her grip in both of her hands now as she listened for the crunch of snow. She didn't hear anything, though, and the silence hung heavily enough in the air that she hoped her heartbeat wouldn't give her away.

Rinoa jumped, startled as the door began to move, opening silently in front of her. It pushed in to the room and she thanked her lucky stars. A rush of freezing, chilly night air billowed in, stirring the embers of the neglected fire as she caught movement just beyond the edge of the door. She didn't hear any footsteps, and the thought frightened her of just what it was that had come barging into the cabin. Tightening her grip, she adjusted her weight and just when the _**tall**_ dark figure came past Rinoa jumped forward, giving a shout as she brought the poker down as quickly as possible-

Only to have it caught before it ever hit the target. There was a flicker of a spark as claws gripped the poker, and Rinoa found herself staring into the face of a very pale, very human man. With the reddest eyes she'd ever seen.(1) She gasped softly as her eyes widened and her grip just barely loosened on the poker. The man continued to hold it and stare at her, and for the longest moment absolutely nothing happened, the air thick with energy. The only movement came from the last flames of the fire struggling against the cold air, and Rinoa suddenly shivered as the temperature dropped.

Letting go of her make-shift weapon, the man took one step in and the door closed quietly behind him, without ever turning away from her. It clicked shut with barely a whisper of a sound. He took a step back from her, and Rinoa slowly lowered the poker, making sure to keep it ready just in case he tried anything funny. He didn't move, though, remaining still as he watched her quietly. This gave her a moment to look at him a bit more closely. He was very tall, that wasn't a figment of her imagination. Of course, it didn't help that she wasn't exactly a tall person herself. She was actually kind of short, so it made everyone else taller, but.. He was still tall. He had a strange aura around him, too, something calm and deadly that definitely gave her a creepy vibe.

Suddenly she realized just how silly she was to be holding the poker in midair. However as she lowered it she refused to let it go, holding onto tightly with her right hand as if it were her only security. Which, to be honest here, it was. Her left hand slowly came up and rubbed her arm, feeling the prickle of goosebumps running up and down her skin. Shivering again, she started and shifted backwards as the man suddenly lifted his hand. "May I?" His voice was deep, really deep. It was a little scratchy, but not at all unpleasant other than being as creepy as he was. At first, Rinoa wasn't certain what he meant, but then she realized he was motioning to the fireplace.

She nodded slowly, keeping very still as he moved towards the dying embers. _It's like he's not even walking.._ She thought, watching with disbelief and no small amount of amazement as he practically glided across the small room. Rinoa had never seen _anyone_ move like that, it was crazy. How did he do it? Everyone sort of had their own bounce when they moved, but this guy.. He just.. Poof, went there. No bounce.

After he'd approached the fireplace, he reached to the other side of it and pulled out a log she hadn't seen before, reaching in with no fear of the heat to settle it over the dying embers. The flames flickered and sputtered, but didn't appear too willing to come back up. They'd fought the good fight and were ready to lay down. It seemed the man would have none of it, though. He turned, dipping his head a little towards her "..Can I have that?"

Rinoa subconsciously gripped the poker more tightly in her hand, shifting her weight uneasily. It was her only way of defending herself and she wasn't exactly ready to give it up. While she didn't say no or shake her head, she made absolutely no move to hand it over. After several moments passed with their eyes caught in a stare, she could hear a barely perceptible sigh from the man. "Aren't you cold?"

She _was_ cold. She'd thought she'd been shivering out of fear, but Rinoa quickly realized her body was absolutely freezing and the only reason her teeth weren't chattering was because she had her jaw clenched so tightly it sent aches and pains through her skull. Noticing just how wound up and tense she was, she forced herself to relax. It was a slow and conscious process, forcing herself muscle by muscle and bit by bit to ease the strain of her body.

Given the seemingly remoteness of the cabin and the temperature, either she trusted him or she froze to death. Rinoa thought about the options for a few moments before stepping forward slowly. She held the poker out, keeping the best amount of distance that she could without looking awkward. The stranger took the poker from her slowly, as if realizing she was ready to bolt the moment he made any sudden moves.

He turned back to the fireplace and began to poke the embers, coaxing the flames back to life. They seemed eager enough, once they caught the taste of the fresh wood and before long the fire was building up strong, brightening the room. Rinoa was grateful for the sudden heat, lifting her arms and covering herself with them as best she could.

Satisfied with the fire, the man straightened with that same ethereal grace, moving slowly again. Rinoa watched him, wondering if he thought she was some kind of deer or something. Then she thought about that and realized that yes, yes she was. And she was going to make like a deer and book it if he did anything funny or even mildly threatening. If he so much as _sneezed_ she was going to be out of there so fast he wouldn't know what hit him.

He stepped back from the fireplace, moving to the wall opposite of her and giving her room. Rinoa took advantage of this and stepped closer to the flames, immediately enjoying the heat that rippled off the crackling, popping fireplace. She unfolded her arms, stretching her palms towards the fire. Moments passed in silence, neither of them speaking. The man seemed all too comfortable with the silence, but Rinoa found it growing much too heavy for her. She looked over at him, licking her lips briefly before speaking. "Where am I?" Her voice sounded so _loud_...

"Not far from Icicle Inn." He replied, his voice much more quiet than her own.

Rinoa made a small face, confused. "Icicle Inn?" What a silly name. She's never heard of it.

There was a pregnant pause in the air, and he offered another name. "Close to the Northern Shinra Base."

From his tone, she gathered she should've recognized the name. Rinoa didn't, though, turning her head back to the fire. "Hm." Another moment passed, and after he didn't elaborate she asked, "Where's that?"

And then there was _more_ silence.. This guy must think a _lot_ before he talks, she realized. It reminded her of a certain someone.

"Where are you from?" He asked suddenly, jarring her from her thoughts.

"Deling." She said, rubbing her palms together and stepping a little closer to the fireplace.

And yet _another _pause before he spoke again. "Deling?" His voice was softly questioning.

Rinoa looked over at him then, frowning a little. "Yea. You know.. Deling. Capital of Galbadia?"

He moved then, a small shifting of his weight as he adjusted his arms beneath his cloak. It was a bright red thing, well, more of a crimson she supposed. It was absolutely gorgeous, she thought, but much too dramatic and overbearing. It was held with a series of three belts across his chest, and the collar of it came up so high that she had yet to see his mouth move when he talked. All she could see of his face was that his skin was very pale, his eyes were very red, and he had long, gleaming black hair pulled back behind his shoulders. She thought she saw a flash of metal beneath the cloth as he moved, but she wasn't sure. It didn't help to make her feel any more comfortable around him.

"You didn't kidnap me, did you?" She suddenly asked.

This seemed to catch him a little off guard, and she could see the barest hint of his eyebrows rising. He wasn't alarmed by the accusation, if anything he appeared _amused_. Great, she thought, I'm amusing. Maybe he won't kill me then.

"No. I did not." He said, and this time she could definitely tell that yes, he could talk in something not monotone.

"Then why am I here?" She asked him, pressing for more information while she had the chance. Maybe if she could figure that out, she could convince him that no he wasn't going to get any money for her capture, because her father was clearly a professional who wouldn't give in to a terrorists whims.(2)

His answer, however, was completely unexpected. "You fell."

"I fell?" She blinked at him, surprised.

"From the sky. You were lucky I caught you. I doubt you would've survived the fall." That was the most she's heard him say since he arrived, and Rinoa took a moment to take it all in. She fell from the sky..? That would explain that vertigo, then. But why? And where? And when?

"How.. how long have I been here?"

"A day or so."

"Really?"

A short nod was her only answer, leaving Rinoa to hum thoughtfully to herself. She murmured, "Guess I should be glad you were around."

There was no answer, but she could see him shift again against the wall. He was watching her closely, and she couldn't help but feel uncomfortable beneath those red eyes. She felt like they were dissecting her, scrutinizing her and attempting to take her apart to figure her out. Like she was some sort of puzzle or trick. She shifted uncomfortably, at a loss of what to do now. She didn't know where she was, this Icicle place didn't ring any bells. He didn't seem to recognize Deling, either. How was she supposed to get back? Where was she going to find Squall?

_If I were Squall.. where would I be.._?

But she knew the answer to that. She'd be in that meadow, standing in the flowers and waiting. Just like they'd promised to each other.

"Where do you need to go?" His deep voice broke through her thoughts.

She looked back over at him, shrugging a little and then turning back to the fire. Her voice was helplessly soft when she spoke, as honestly as she could. "I don't know. ..I think I need to find my friends. They might be around here somewhere." She suggested, looking back over at him hopefully.

He shook his head, a quick one-two move.

Rinoa frowned again, her eyes looking downwards as she finally lowered her arms to her sides. He didn't see anyone else? Was she by herself then? What a horrible thought. Reaching up, she gently took hold of the familiar weight on her breastbone, holding the ring in her fingers gently. The firelight played off of the silver tone, curving over its features. It gave her a small comfort, and she took a deep breath. Before she could ask him, though, he spoke up.

"I can take you to the military base. From there you can get transport to where you need to go." He didn't make it sound like she had an option, really.

Holding her breath, she let it go slowly and nodded, lowering the ring and clasping her hands behind her back. "Alright. ..Thank you." And then on an afterthought, she sheepishly added, "Sorry about the trying to hit you thing."

He simply nodded towards her, and she couldn't help but also add with a grin,"But you gotta admit, you are pretty creepy."

She might've been imagining it, and it could've been a trick of the light, but it looked like his eyes crinkled with what could have been, and she was just going out on a limb here, a small smile.

_.:`'~ Legacy ~'`:._

Cosmo Canyon, Squall realized, was exactly what it sounded like. A canyon. The reason the room he'd woken up in had been carved from stone is because it was actually nested within long hallways and amidst other rooms that had all been dug out and carved from the side of a jutting mountain within the canyon itself. The rock, he realized, was actually full of color. Reds and browns intermingled with whites and sometimes a faint hint of lavender. Despite being carved out of stone, it didn't -smell- like it, which he thought was kind of odd. A place like this should be reeking of dirt and earth, but it smelled fresh and clear. Kind of homely, really. He noted while he walked that it was probably due to a ventilation system they seemed to have implemented. Tiny vents located in discreet places, he didn't even see the first one until he'd neared the exit.

Denneh had offered to show him around the area while Tessa eagerly prepared a meal. From what he could make of it, the woman just liked to cook. Especially for guests, which didn't come very often. She took an immense amount of pride in her culinary skills and always enjoyed getting more compliments on it from people who weren't native to the canyon. Hence, her enthusiasm. Squall to be quite honest didn't really care how good of a cook she was. The sooner he ate and got information the sooner he could find his friends, though he already felt a small amount of shame for wanting to leave such hospitable people so quickly. Everyone he ran into was friendly, and despite being an obvious stranger they all waved and greeted him as though they knew him. Some of them laughed, and he got the sneaking suspicion he was part of a joke he hadn't heard yet. This, of course, chased all of his wannabe guilt away and left him with a mild sense of annoyance.

Once out of the hallways, Squall took notice that not everything was built within the mountain. Outside of it there were several buildings built on stilts that arced and balanced over the walls, stretching out and below the canyon's cliff face. Whatever flat surfaces there were had been left as bare as they could, with only a minimal amount of shacks and stands build on the smooth, rocky surface. He noticed it was evening, with the sun beginning to set over the far horizon. This set a lovely hue of purples and oranges over the landscape, and he was sure if he were anyone else he would've been awed at the sight. Or at least at what appeared to be an orbiting body; a collection and myriad of purple, blue, orange and green that glinted and sparkled beyond the atmosphere. Not to say he didn't appreciate it, but Squall simply had too much on his mind to stop and admire it.

He noticed that on one of the larger areas of cleared and flat stone, a part of the canyon floor had been raised in the shape of a rounded square. Set in the center of this was a large fire, burning brightly as logs tented around and over it. Quite few people were gathered there, most of them passing by in their daily business and some apparent excitement.

Denneh stepped forward and stopped next to him, looking over the sight along with him. "This is the rest of Cosmo Canyon," She explained. "That is the Cosmo Candle. It always burns. I've never seen it go out, though I've heard of it doing so once. It symbolizes the connection to the Planet. As long as it burns, we'll know that the Planet is watching over us."

Squall said nothing, his eyes continuing to study the layout as she spoke. A booming voice spoke up to his right, causing him to look up quickly to the sight of a squat man approaching them. He wasn't short, about Squall's height roughly, but he was definitely more heavy set, practically waddling as he approached. "Denneh! I see our young wanderer is awake finally! Good evening my man! How are you? My name is Bugo! I carried your burnt hide back here, you know!"

Denneh sighed softly, her ears flattening a little at the volume of his voice. "Evening Bugo. You seem boisterous tonight."

"Why shouldn't I be!? It's the Festival!(1) As good a time to let loose as any, wouldn't you agree?" He smiled at her, and Denneh couldn't help but smile back slightly, attempting to keep her teeth beneath her lip.

Squall eyed the man, unimpressed. He was only mildly curious about this Festival, not dwelling his thoughts on it for long. He did nod, though, in acknowledgement that this was the man who'd dragged him from the desert. Denneh had told him briefly of what happened, how he'd been found two days ago unconscious behind rocks with little more than a sunburn. They'd brought him back and took care of him until he'd woken up.

"You have a name, kid?" He asked, watching Squall expectantly. However, before Squall could answer there was yet another disruption. This time in the form of something small, fast and _red_.

"Buggggooo!!"

A high-pitched voice shrilled, and Squall watched as the large man was attacked by a miniature ball of fur and fire, squealing as it clamored all over him until it latched onto his backside, howling. "Sai's gonna get me don't let 'em get me Bugo!"

Bugo meanwhile twisted and turned, trying to get the small beast off his back. "Ow! Your claws! Watch the claws!"

Then, Squall watched, now amused, as another small ball of red fur came charging up the canyon side, flipping into the air and landing in a four-footed sprawl with all claws extended and tiny teeth gnashing. It was definitely a pint-sized version of Denneh, and obviously quite riled up. Denneh, also amused, did nothing but watch the proceedings.

"Sheyna!!" The cub howled, watching Bugo murderously. "Bugo turn around! Let me atter!!"

"Nooo! Bugo don't he's going to KILL me!!" A howl answered from his backside.

Bugo was not amused at all, wincing and flinching and squiggling as the cub on his back continued to hold on with all claws extended. "Damn it, Sheyna! You're CLAWS! Watch the freakin' claws!"

"Turn around! Last warnin'! **There will be no mercy!!**" The small male cub yowled, flexing his back and wiggling his hips as he prepared to pounce.

"Denneh! A little help here?" Bugo pleaded, his eyes wide and begging.

Denneh huffed. "Saitek, knock it off. Sheyna, let go of the poor man." Her voice was quiet, but it was enough that slowly Saitek relaxed and the cub, Sheyna, on Bugo's back slowly relinquished her grip. She slid to the ground, landing gracefully on all fours behind him. Sheyna didn't come out though, remaining hidden behind the man's short legs.

Saitek scowled, sitting back on his haunches and lowering his head closer to his body, pouting. "We was jus' playin'.."

Denneh huffed again at him. "Playing or not, you will behave yourself in front of our guest." She said this with a tone that Squall -thought- he should've been worried about. Unconsciously, he folded his arms in front of his chest and altered his weight as both of the cubs suddenly looked at him, realizing he was there. A moment passed and they stared, before Saitek howled and suddenly _leaped_ from the ground towards him.

Squall's eyes widened and his reflexes kicked in. He stepped back, but the cub was faster and stronger than he'd thought. It tackled into him, knocking him back off his balance as he hit the wall behind him with a thud. The cub proceeded to attack him mercilessly, its paws thumping against his chest and its hot breath washing over his face. Oh Hyne, he was going to get eaten by a pint-sized wannabe Moomba!

He knew something was wrong when he heard laughing. Squall realized he wasn't being attacked or eaten, but rather the small cub was actually sniffing and licking him, its heavy paws pressing against his chest for grip. He noticed his hands had closed around it's tiny torso, and it looked very much like an overjoyed puppy glad to see its master home. Then, Saitek _barked_ at him, tongue lolling out of his mouth happily as he looked Squall over. The mercenary suddenly remembered about their tails, and quickly held the small animal out and away from him in fear of getting singed with the tip of it.

Saitek appeared undaunted, looking up at him with such childish _glee_ that it shocked Squall into a silent, dumbfounded stupor. Behind the cub, he caught the sight of Denneh, Bugo and the other cub Sheyna laughing, with the latter of the three rolling around in the dirt of the canyon and kicking up dust as she did. Denneh was laughing so hard she was leaning against Bugo for support, who seemed barely able to stand himself. All of them had tears streaming down their cheeks, and Squall could not _stop_ the red he felt flushing over his face. He looked back at Saitek in his arms, who happily barked, "You're alive!" It was then that Squall let go, dumping Saitek onto the canyon floor. The cub whipped in midair, landing on all fours and thinking nothing of it as he bounced back up onto his hind legs, pawing at Squall's own legs, barking happily.

Squall struggled to regain his composure and what was left of his dignity. He rubbed his face clear of the drying drool left from the cub's hot tongue, and scowled as he then wiped his hand on the side of his leather pants. He was absolutely mortified, because not only had he for a split second actually thought he was truly going to die by the hands and teeth of this little runt, but the beast's friends and family were still howling with laughter. Indignant, he folded his arms and lifted his chin, _glaring_ at all of them.

This of course sent a fresh surge of howling laughter echoing through the canyon, and before long Squall felt absolutely _tiny_, wishing he could be reduced to a small speck of dust and just disappear from the face of this forsaken planet.

"Aw, don't mind them! They're stupid!" A voice chirped, and he looked down to see Saitek scowling at his family, before baring his teeth and hissing at them defensively. "Knock if off, will ya!?"

"What's going on here?" A deep, rumbling and curious voice asked. The three hyena's attempted to dwindle their laughter down as another, _another?!_ one of the creatures came out of a cave entrance on the other side of the small cleared rock. It must've been male, it's body built more heavily and corded with more muscle than Denneh's slender body, who previously had looked thick enough to be male herself. In comparison though, there was a definite distinction. The larger creature padded over to the small group, Squall noting his fur was the same deep auburn red. His mane was shorter than Denneh's and instead of black it was an auburn, almost burgundy color. He too wore several feathers, beads and accessories throughout his body, with tattoo's branded across his legs and golden cuffs encircling his ankles. One tattoo was more distinct than the others, marked as a Red XIII. Squall was curious but said nothing, preferring to keep to his stoic, mortified silence as Saitek spoke in his defense.

"They won't stop laughin' at 'em, Pa!" Saitek grumbled, his smaller voice drowned out by an amused rumble from the larger beast.

Denneh spoke up then, chuckling as trails of her laughter rolled off her shoulders. "My apologies.. Oh.. Nanaki, you should've seen it. Saitek..Oh my.." She laughed again, and the sound was actually quite pleasing to hear.

Sheyna was more than happy to oblige, though her laughter sounded an awful lot like cackling to Squall's ears. "Sai totally pounced the poor guy! You shoulda seen his face!" And with this she howled in laughter again. Saitek growled at her, lowering himself to the ground and pouncing through the air towards his sister.

Nanaki, however, deftly intercepted by sticking a large paw out, catching the cub before he could hit his target. "Calm down, Sai." He rumbled, looking over at Squall. "Are you alright?"

The mercenary shifted, staring at the large.. Nanaki, before him, noticing that one of the creature's golden eyes had been closed by a scar crossing through it. "..I'm fine." He said sharply, sending a pointed look at the other three beasts. Denneh looked away apologetically, Sheyna licked her paw absentmindedly, and Saitek was pouting in his father's heavy pawed grip.

The little cub struggled before Nanaki finally let him go, sauntering back over to Squall and plopping down next to his foot. Squall ignored the runt, adjusting his arms over his chest with a small inhalation.

Denneh was the next one to speak, her voice much softer than Nanaki's rumble. "My sincerest apologies, Squall-"

"Squall?"

The mercenary looked down to see Saitek giving him an odd look, face in an expression of disapproval. His sister walked up also, huffing softly. "That's your name?" She asked, looking up at him curiously.

He didn't say anything, but he did take a small step away from the both of them wearily.

"That's a stupid name." Saitek grumbled with disappointment.

"Sai!" Denneh breathed, scowling at her cub.

"Well it is!" He shot back, thinking for a moment before looking back at Squall. His sister, apparently on the same thought then asked, "What's your last name?"

He watched the both of them for a second, then looked up to see that Denneh, Nanaki and Bugo, who had been quiet this entire time, were watching curiously. Obviously wanting to know the same thing.

"...Leonhart." He finally mumbled. What was wrong with his name? ...He liked his name.

Both of the cubs picked their ears up at this and looked excited. "Hey! That's much better!" Sheyna chirped, with Saitek nodding quickly.

"Yea!" He said, enthusiastic, "Can we call you that instead?"

"Yea!" His sister quickly agreed. Both of their tails were flicking in spastic jerks.

Squall looked at them incredulously. "...Whatever."

"Yes!" The two cubs hissed happily. Though Sheyna spoke up afterwards with, "I'm just going to call him Leon, though. That sounds better than Leeeeeonhaaart." (3)

"_I'm_ going to call him Leon!" Saitek hissed at her, "That was my idea!"

"No it wasn't, you didn't even say anything!"

"_**I'm** calling him **Leon**!" _The cub screeched, and when Sheyna started to disagree again he didn't give her the chance, quickly tackling her. The two of them became a ball of red fur and fire that occasionally spat out a feather amidst the snarling and hissing, rolling around on the canyon floor and kicking up dirt and dust into the air.

Squall stepped away from the pair, eyeing their tails cautiously as he heard someone sigh. Looking up, he noticed Nanaki giving Denneh a look, who immediately went forward to try and seperate the two rambunctious cubs. Nanaki looked at Squall apologetically. "Forgive them. They are young. Saitek has been waiting for you to wake since you were brought here. He is very excited; he was the one that found you."

Squall glanced over at Bugo, who held his hands up. "I brought ya here, but Sai is the one who sniffed you out." The man grinned at him, "He keeps saying he's going to keep you." He chuckled, obviously quite amused by the fact.

The mercenary, however, was not. In fact, that only dampened his already foul, sour mood. But at least the full focus of everyone's attention was no longer on him, and nobody was laughing. He reached up, running a hand through his hair as he looked at Bugo as he finally spoke."Denneh said you might be able to help me."

Bugo chuckled, motioning to Nanaki. "If anyone can help you, Nanaki here can. He's got a lot more experience than me in pretty much, well, everything. You'd best be talking to him. I'm just a humble man." He nodded to Squall. "And speaking of which, I should get back and continue preparing for the festival. Nanaki?"

The large beast nodded to his friend. "Go on, I'll join shortly." Bugo nodded to Squall again before turning and waddling back the way he came, whistling an unknown tune as he did.

Nanaki turned back to Squall, motioning with his head. "Tessa sent me to fetch you. Perhaps we can talk over a meal?"

Squall nodded, following the large red beast as he turned back towards the caves. Before he took more than a couple of steps, though, Saitek was suddenly at his side. The cub was breathless and more than a little beaten up, but he looked up at Squall eagerly and beamed with pride. "I'll come with you, Leon!"

Squall stopped in his steps, looking down at the cub for a moment before shaking his head, giving up. He continued into the cave with the cub at his heels.

_.:`'~ Legacy ~'`:._

At the tallest peak of Cosmo Canyon, a large house sat perched over the town beneath it. It was defined mostly by the overbearing, tall dome structure that it was built around, and from this dome structure there jutted out a large, rounded telescope of giant proportions. Little has changed ever since it had been constructed, except for the improvement of observational and holographic technology as well as newly recorded data entered into its systems. For the most part it was just that, though, an observational facility that continuously scanned the stars and kept records of the ever changing Planet's health.

Cosmo Canyon had discovered, several years prior, a glittering of cosmic dust that had captured everyone's attention. Even the orbiting space stations themselves couldn't match the depth of scope the tower had, and it watched with growing anticipation as the approaching dust cloud contained small stars that had been traveling through space for an estimated thousands upon thousands of years. The last phenomena of this sort hadn't been recorded in over two thousand years, and everyone was quite excited to be given the opportunity of a lifetime to watch the shower as it sped by the Planet. It was rumored to be a spectacular event, lighting up the night sky with rainbows of colors as the stars shot past the atmosphere, leaving nothing but cosmic dust glittering behind it.

To this day, they had taken note of at least sixteen separate cosmic entities located within the absolutely gargantuan dust cloud. Ten of which were actual full-fledged stars, pulling and gravitating around each other in an endless dance. The six others were assumed to be pieces of other stars, left after collisions had decimated what was probably once a more populated cloud of energy. The six smaller pieces orbited around the dancing stars, one to each of them and leaving four stars without a partner, left to dance along the outskirts. When the first observation had been made of this phenomena, they had only been able to record three stars. Over time, as it edged closer and closer to the Planet, they were able to discern and discover more celestial bodies located within this moving galaxy. Now that it was so close that it could be seen by the naked eye, they highly doubted finding anymore surprises.

With a heartfelt sigh, Bugo situated himself in the observation tower's chair, ready to take one last peek at the event through the scope before mingling down in the Canyon. They were holding a festival to celebrate the rare phenomena and it had been in planning for months now. It was a tremendous event, and the natives of Cosmo Canyon were nearly overwhelmed by an abundance of tourists. Even more people were out in the desert, sprinkled out and ready to stay the night to see the clearest view of the event from anywhere else on the Planet. Bugo was ready to join the party that would soon begin to take place, but he just wanted a last peek, for observational and informational purposes.

Leaning forward, he fit his eye to the eye piece. It was almost archaic in nature, but there was something just so full of nostalgic memories in using it this way. Most of these days, with technology the way it was, a computer did all the work. Snapping and taking pictures and images, rendering them in complete full dimensional models for the viewing pleasure of all the world's scientists and professors. Cosmo Canyon was practically an outcast of society. Little had changed in the canyon over the past several hundred years, according to Nanaki. The Lienliek had made it a point over his lifetime to keep the Canyon clean of anything that would disrupt the Planet, including the ever rising dependency on technology.

Nanaki was very well close to five hundred years of age. The creature had been in his prime back when Materia existed, and the use of the Lifestream's energy was a commonplace thing. In the current day and age, the Lifestream was more assumed a myth than anything. Materia was still around, but they were little more than dull, colorful paperweights. It was an extremely rare case that anyone found one that actually _worked_ and Shinra or Wutai were both quick to grab them up.

The Lifestream had long ago left the surface of the planet and without any fundamental evidence to base the theory on, humans became all too willing to be led by their own pompous scientists and their rise to power. But Nanaki reminded everyone in Cosmo Canyon by his sheer existence that the people of the Gaea had once been much more finely tuned to the Planet. He reminded them that everything wasn't as easy and given as it was these days. The creature made a distinct effort to keep those memories from being forgotten, bringing his cubs up with every knowledge and memory and story he had to tell.

The most exciting of which, and little Saitek's favorite being, of course, the legend of the Calamity War. Great heroes and warriors of absolutely phenomenal strength fighting for the good of the Planet, saving it just when it had been nearly destroyed. Nanaki boasted that he himself had been part of that group, and although he had no way to prove it it was hard to doubt his words. The Lienlike was a very honest creature, forthcoming and humble. His cubs believed his every word, and while the people of Cosmo Canyon made a conscious effort to keep his advice in mind they all had their doubting moments.

Bugo, of course, believed Nanaki. Believed him wholeheartedly. His great great great great-something grandfather had been Nanaki's grandfather, as odd as that may be. But his ancestor had left plenty of information for Bugo's predecessors, and although through the generations most of the information had been lost, the most important of it was kept safe and sound here in the tower itself.

It was a shame the majority of the scientific community denounced the evidence, claiming it was completely absurd and fabricated.

Bugo sighed softly, adjusting the telescope. It was just a downright shame, really. Did they ever think that maybe the Lifestream was gone because they no longer believed in it? How else did you explain their very existence? Honestly.

As the image strengthened and sharpened in front of him, he rubbed his chin and held his breath at the beauty of the cosmic, mobile galaxy. It was absolutely breathtaking and beautiful. Swirls of purples, greens, blues and reds and colors of all kind intermingled and flowed over each other, leaving a glowing trail of dust behind it. The scope picked up colors that had never been seen before, and were currently being cataloged and described. They'd learn a lot from this floating galaxy, and tonight everyone, _everyon_e_, _would be able to see it first hand. "Ahh, there you are, Titan."

The largest of the stars and bodies within the dust cloud had been given an appropriate name. It dwarfed its brethren, circling in a fog of murky brown and red. Each of the stars had been given names, as well as their dancing counterparts if they had one. Titan just so happened to have one, and they'd named it Titan II, for lack of anything more creative. Bugo searched for it, having been fairly partial to its absolutely beautiful green and purple hues. As Titan continued to turn and swirl though, Bugo frowned a little. _Where is that little bugger?_ Little indeed. Despite orbiting the largest star, Titan II was the smallest piece of debris left in a permanent orbit. They wagered it was probably no bigger than the Cosmo Canyon settlement itself, really. A tiny little thing, practically a speck. He'd always been able to find it before, thought, but now he was finding it quite difficult.

Ten minutes of fruitless searching later and Bugo sat back, perplexed. "Where did it go?" He wondered out loud, rubbing his chin as he looked around the observatory, looking for an answer. He once again returned to the scope, adjusting the controls and looking again. Twenty minutes of this and he sat back once more with a frustrated huff. "Titan II couldn't have disappeared.. It couldn't have been knocked away, we would've noticed." Either by a trail of energy that would've followed it, or a disruption in the path of the other orbiting stars. Instead, it seemed to have just.. quite simply, vanished.

Completely puzzled over the situation, Bugo glanced at the time. Another half hour before the main event starts. He gathered his things, waddling out of the observatory. It wouldn't hurt to mention this to Nanaki and get his opinion on the matter.

…_..............:`' ~ Author's Notes ~'`:................_

_I'm not sure if that's proper structure for the sentence._

_Yes, no, maybe so? Complete guess at that one._

_*cackles* My homage to Kingdom Hearts. If I could get away with it, I'd rename Squall to Leon, because it's such a better name. I think this is going to be the best I can do, though._

_So, here's the next chapter! It's my longest one yet, and I actually thought about cutting off the last part, but I promised a strange observation and there you have it. I wanted to go ahead and have Squall and Nanaki talk to each other about Squall's situation in this chapter, but Rinoa's portion ran longer than intended._

_Speaking of which, what did you think? I think I did alright with it, but I don't know. I can't remember much of Rinoa's character. I hope I did alright. Yikes. I think I did, though. Hurrah for confidence! I'm pretty sure I nailed Vincent, especially after five hundred years and considering how he might've changed or not changed in a world surrounded with new and growing technology. _

_In the next chapter, Squall will probably be leaving Cosmo Canyon with Nanaki to begin his search. Nanaki assumes he should start in Edge, the largest and most populated city on the planet. From there, Squall will learn of Rinoa's whereabouts and then they're off to the Northern Continent! Expect more development about unusual observation, as well as an investigation on the spikes recorded on board Shera XIII. HOPEFULLY, that'll all be in the next chapter. Expect a small time jump of a few weeks._

_By the way, I love Saitek. 3_

_**Fun Fact: **Denneh is an actual character from the series. Mentioned only in Before Crisis, she was present when the Turks went to capture a specimen for Hojo. Nanaki sacrificed himself for her. It was never discussed (or at least I've never found) what happened to her, so here you go! Nanaki's own little slice of heaven!_

_As always, REVIEWS MAKE THE WORLD GO AROUND! Seriously, I love hearing comments and suggestions; I've gotten a few thus far that have helped me shape the story much more solidly than it was before. So it never hurts to help to let me know if I'm doing something wrong or right. Most specifically, my characterization. So yes, review please. Also, don't forget to check out my teasers, I added a new one yesterday!_


	5. Titan II

_.:`'~ Legacy ~'`:._

_-=-=-=-=-=-_

_Happiness is just a word to me  
And it might have meant a thing or two_  
_If I'd known the difference_

_Emptiness, a lonely parody_ _  
And my life, another smokin' gun_  
_A sign of my indifference_ _  
_

_Always keepin' safe inside_ _  
Where no one ever had a chance_ _  
To penetrate or break in_

_-=-=-=-=-=-_

"Tessa told me you're looking for someone." Nanaki's smooth voice suggested as they proceeded down the hallway. It was quiet, except for the sound of Squall's boots clicking on the floor and the distant sound of growing festivities. He was looking up at the mercenary with a questioning gaze that unsettled Squall, who was still unsure of the intelligent creatures.

"I'm looking for my friends." Squall supplied evenly, keeping his gaze straight as he walked.

"Do you know where they are?"

"No. Not yet." But there was a strong determination in his voice. Not yet, but he would soon.

Nanaki made a small sound of acknowledgement, turning around a bend and leading the group into a larger dining area. There was a large table, also carved from stone, and Tessa was just setting down several plates heaping with fresh, hot food.

Saitek, who had been walking along at Squall's heels quietly, immediately bounded across the room to hop onto a chair in front of one plate, sniffing deeply. "Aahhhhh.. Tessa, this stuff is so great!" He looked up at her, mouth open in a wide grin of appreciation.

"Ohh Sai! Why _thank _you!" Her voice drawled in what was obviously a rehearsed and well practiced exchange. The woman smiled brightly at the cub before looking over to Squall and Nanaki, ushering them over with quick sweeping hands. "C'mon c'mon! Sit, eat! I'll bring some drinks."

Tessa had managed to scrounge up a fairly decently sized meal in the ten minutes or so she'd left to start it, and Squall had to admit after the first few bites that it was actually quite good. There were slices of appealing meat and brightly colored vegetables, served alongside buttered rolls and glasses of a dark drink that tasted sweet. He was grateful they had convinced him to stay for it.

He'd sat next to Saitek, -who insisted on it- and Nanaki sat across the table from them. It was very strange to watch the two creatures eat, despite their obvious sentient intelligence it was fairly ironic to see that they still ate like any other creature would, muzzle and teeth buried in the food of their plate with every bite. He should have expected as much, knowing that lacking opposable thumbs made gripping utensils practically impossible. Though to be honest he had temporarily forgotten about it while speaking to them, forgetting that despite their intelligence they were still four-legged beasts. Saitek was unable to keep from making a mess with his own meal, but Nanaki had plenty of practice and had yet to let a single piece of food drop from his plate.

After a few minutes passed in silence with Tessa beaming proudly at them, Nanaki swallowed his current bite and cleared his throat. "Where are you from?" He asked curiously, looking over as Squall chewed on a bite of meat before answering.

Taking a drink to wash down the food, Squall considered his answer carefully before speaking, "Balamb." He stabbed a piece of seasoned potato with his fork.

As expected, the wolf like creature didn't appear to recognize the name. Nanaki hummed thoughtfully. "I don't think I've heard of it." He finally claimed, sending a glance over to Saitek. The cub looked back quizzically, before a proverbial light bulb sparked over his head and he hastily licked the sides of his messy, food-covered muzzle.

The mercenary shrugged a little, setting his fork down in favor of a dish cloth. "I.. don't think it's around here." He wiped briefly at his mouth.

Nanaki huffed, "Or anywhere."

Squall's left eyebrow lifted imperceptibly over the cloth. "Excuse me?"

"Where is it?" The Lienliek asked curiously, confident in his knowledge of the world's geography. The only place it could be would be Wutai, he was unfamiliar with that territory.

Squall shifted uncomfortably then, setting the cloth down over his plate and adverting his eyes to the side. "Not here."

There came an unrestrained sigh from Nanaki. "I am aware of that. Where is it?"

"Not here." Squall said again more firmly and with a tone that dared Nanaki to ask again. He looked back at the wolf creature, who had its eyes narrowed suspiciously. He sighed in irritation, "I can't tell you where it is." Because it quite literally was not _here_, on this world. Squall couldn't expect them to believe his story of the war with the Sorceress and the Time Compression, not in a world that seemed as though it had come from the middle ages. They'd think he was crazy and lock him away for his own safety. And besides, a small inner voice mentioned smugly, it's none of their business.

Nanaki was unsure why Squall felt the need of secrecy. Cosmo Canyon was well known for its fine sense of trustworthy neutrality despite the war between Shinra and Wutai. He began to wonder if it was a place at all; perhaps it was a name instead. It might even be a rebellious faction, though few and far between they still had the unshakable habit of peeking out of their burrows every now and again. Nanaki could at least understand the need for secrecy if that were the case. He doubted Squall meant them any harm, and decided that the man kept his secrets for the safety of everyone. It was an honorable intention, and one that pleased Nanaki.

"I see." He finally said, dipping his head in a nod to the mercenary. "Very well. I will not ask. Although, I don't know how to help you. Is there somewhere you should go? Or someone you should contact?"

Squall thought about that for a moment, leaning back in his chair and folding his arms over his chest. His eyes narrowed thoughtfully. He disregarded the second question, knowing there was nobody here he could speak to that could help him. But he did need somewhere to go, somewhere to start looking. Where, though? He knew nothing of this world. His friends could be anywhere, really. If he were to approach it from the textbook, he should begin his search here in Cosmo Canyon. His friends might've landed somewhere close by. It seemed pretty logical. A sudden thought occurred to him out of nowhere, reminding him of something very important. He looked up quickly. "Did you see anything else where you found me?" He asked, hix eyes fixed on Saitek.

The little cub shrugged, standing in his seat eagerly with his forepaws on the edge of the stone table. "Nuh uh, but I didn't get a chance to look. After we found you we came straight back here. Why? Think your friends might be there?"

Squall shrugged. "Maybe. Do you think you could take me back there?"

"Sure! That's easy!" The little monster chirped, happily shifting his weight from foot to foot. "We can go now even if ya want!"

"Saitek," Nanaki interjected firmly, using a tone of voice that Squall felt was very familiar to the cub. "You are not going out there alone."

"But I won't be! Leon will be with me!" He claimed, his little body practically vibrating with anticipation. "C'mon Pa, I wanna help!"

Nanaki huffed quietly at his cub before looking over at Squall. He studied him closely. He had realized that Squall carried himself confidently, and his restrained, trained motions could only come from someone who undoubtedly knew how to take care of themselves. But to trust his cub to this practical stranger? He knew nothing of him. It would be a horribly dishonorable decision as a parent. He was against it immediately and turned back to Saitek, but the cub's waiting expression jerked him back with hesitation.

Saitek looked absolutely -desperate-. At first glance, he appeared anxious and excited, hopeful with a youthful eagerness that made Nanaki's bones feel weary just seeing it. But he could see beyond the outside layers of his son, knowing his family on a deeply internal level that they were practically his second nature. And what he saw was desperation, a surge of it welling in his son's pleading eyes. His cubs were growing, Nanaki knew. Tomorrow was a big day for both of them. He was taking them to Midgar at sunrise in the morning, a trek he'd always done on his own several times for the past several hundred years. It was a homage of his, a journey to pay his respects to a history well behind him. He'd always promised to take them with him someday, and they were finally old enough to go. They were both very excited, he knew this, but a part of him hoped they wouldn't go. They would stay here and remain as they were now, youthful and innocent and full of opportunity. He always knew he'd be a protective father, but Denneh was patient and more than wise. She continuously told him he would need to learn to trust them someday, to let them live their own lives without his very voice commanding their every action. He didn't want that day to ever come, and the journey to Midgar was weighing heavily on his heart.

But as he looked at his son and he could see that deserate _need_ there, the want and pull to prove his existence as a single and individual, his very soul melted. He remembered his father Seto treating him the exact way he treated his own cubs now, and he could remember the feeling of infuriated helplessness and betrayal he would feel every time Seto would deny him his unique own existence. Of course, he could understand why now, and suddenly found the tables completely reversed as if time had back-flipped over him when he hadn't been watching. Unlike his father, though, Nanaki would use his experience instead of letting it go to waste. He could not deny his son a chance to prove himself, and he trusted that his son was aware of the dangers of wandering alone with this man, and could then therefore be prepared for any sort of danger that would await them.

Nanaki sighed, shaking his head from his deep and heavy thoughts. "...Very well, Saitek."

"What??!!" The cub screeched, eyes going wide in surprise. "Wow!! Really?!?! Oh man this is so _awesome_!! Thank you thank you thank you!!"

Nanaki yelped as he was thrown from his chair, Saitek's small body knocking him off balance as the cub tackled his father and licked and hugged him all over. Grunting on the cold stone ground, he growled warningly, though he couldn't stop himself from feeling overjoyed at the acceptance he'd just earned from his cub. "Yes, now get off me before I change my mind."

"Yes Sir!!" The cub was off of Nanaki in the blink of an eye, quickly hopping around the room in an excitement barely containable by his small body. He turned, whirling on Squall who had stood in the commotion. "C'mon! We can go now! It won't take long! Well wait, maybe it will. You walk slow," Ignoring the startled indignant look that Squall gave him he continued, "We'll get you a Chocobo! Dad can we take a Chocobo? So he doesn't have to walk? It'd get us there quicker!"

Nanaki pulled himself off the ground, vigorously shaking himself free of dirt. "That's fine, Sai. Make sure to tell someone you're taking one, though." He was secretly relieved they were taking one of the birds. Chocobo's were pretty big and powerful despite their featherbrained inhibitions, and loyal to a fault. "Go and get one ready for Squall-"

"Leon!" Saitek interrupted with a self-important huff.

"Leon?"

"Yea, call 'em Leon Dad, jeez. Squall sounds so stupid."

Squall's eyes narrowed dangerously, and Saitek quickly corrected himself. "I mean uh, it's just that, y'know, Leon sounds so much better! Kinda like us, right? Leon, Lienliek, see? Don't'cha think?!"

Nanaki was quite amused at his son, and it showed in his expression when he looked up at Squall for permission. Squall still had his narrowed expression set on Saitek, but he finally looked back over at Nanaki and sighed quietly. "Whatever."

Chuckling, Nanaki continued. "Get a Chocobo ready for _Leon_, and he'll be there shortly."

"Alright! Don't be long Leon!" Saitek grinned widely and bounded out of the room in an excited ball of red fluff and overjoyed yips.

Squall turned to Nanaki. "Does he ever get out?"

Nanaki huffed in amusement, laughing. "Sometimes."

"Is that what you are? Lienliek?" Squall asked, tasting the word carefully. It was kind of fitting, he supposed. He'd been thus far unable to decide if they resembled some sort of dog or cat before, but now that he considered it they definitely seemed more feline in structure and posture, almost lion like. ...Oh. He got it now. Lion like. Lienliek. His lips twitched, threatening to smirk if he didn't watch it.

"Yes. It's what we are called by everyone else." Nanaki shrugged, truly indifferent to it.

"It's fitting." Squall admitted, watching Nanaki walk over to him. The Lienlieke stopped at his feet, looking up at him with a hesitant expression.

"Be careful in the desert, Leon." He said, testing the new nickname and keeping it for the sake of his cub's happiness, "There aren't many monsters that survive in the day of the desert, but at night they come out in numbers. I am.. ...trusting you to keep my cub safe. From _any_ harm." His eye narrowed on the SeeD meaningfully, and Squall shifted his weight as he understood the implied message.

"I'll keep him safe." He promised, staring at the Lienliek for several long moments before the creature finally nodded, apparently appeased.

"Good. Follow me then, I'll take you to the stables."

_.:`'~ Legacy ~'`:._

A half hour later finally saw Squall and Saitek leaving Cosmo Canyon. Squall had gotten lost in his search for the stables, taking a full quarter of an hour before he'd finally arrived. Nanaki had been accosted by Bugo on their way out of the dining room, who insisted on showing Nanaki something an the Observation Tower. Squall could only guess that meant the giant scope he could make out on one of the canyon's highest peaks in the distance.

The Chocobo he'd been given had strangely enough seemed to recognize him, giving him a good and friendly hair pull the moment he'd gotten close enough. Much to Squall's displeasure, really. He never liked the damn birds, but he was actually relieved to find that at least there was one familiar thing in this world, even if it did have to be the damned feather butts. That still didn't change the fact though that he hated their yellow, furry feather butts with a passion. (1) Scheming, conniving little beasts..

Saitek had informed him that Nustle had been the Chocobo to carry him to Cosmo Canyon, and Squall was a bit miffed at that. No wonder the bird wouldn't stop doting on him, refusing to obey his commands as it stopped constantly to peer over its shoulder and peck and nibble and.. ...was it _preening_ him?!

"Stop it!" He snapped, pushing the large beak away from his jacket in an attempt to get the bird to leave him alone. He could hear Saitek snickering in the background and that didn't help his disposition at all. He flicked the reigns of the bird once, and the Chocobo coo'd at him before plodding off once again.

"I'm glad he's buggin' you for once and not me," Saitek said as he trotted alongside their pace easily.

Squall scowled. "Stupid bird."

Saitek snickered, looking up at his new friend. "So you think we'll find one of your friends out here?" He asked, wondering if they really would. Sai had a pretty good nose if he said so himself, and he hadn't smelled anyone else at all. He'd caught Leon's scent easily enough, and was pretty sure he would've smelled anyone else but nope, just Leon. He didn't want to tell him though, afraid it'd make him angry or something.

Squall shrugged. "Maybe." He said again. He doubted he'd find any of them out here, really. There was a part of him that honestly hoped they would be he knew better. He trusted his hunches, and this one told him fat chance bucko. He was hoping to find _something_ though. One such something being his gunblade. It hadn't been with him in the Time Compression, but maybe it had fallen into this world with him. He had asked Saitek earlier if he'd been carrying anything and the cub had helpfully said that nope, there'd been nothing at all but him.

The sun had set as they'd left Cosmo Canyon but the landscape around them was surprisingly not completely dark. Saitek's flaming tail helped, but the sky was also absolutely crystal clear and generous in offering them a wonderful display of twinkling stars and a full, wide moon. Squall tilted his head up to admire the view for a moment, noticing once more that strange dust of colors far out of the atmosphere. He eyed it curiously, asking Saitek, "What is that, anyways?"

Saitek looked up, shrugging as he walked, "Iunno. Some big moving space cloud or something. It's why they're having the Festival tonight, it's s'posed to be super awesome. Looks like a bunch of dumb colors to me." The cub was obviously too young to admire the beauty in the spectacle, his one-track mind locked onto things much more material and touchable.

Interesting, Squall thought, but only in the vague sense of one reading the newspaper. He shrugged mentally, letting the subject fall in favor of silence. It was very peaceful in the desert, and quiet. Without their talking all he heard was the soft plodding thuds of the Chocobo as it walked, sometimes cooing softly to itself or chirping absentmindedly, and the gentle jingling of his belts from the bird's gait. Saitek was absolutely silent, obviously built for it. It was a peaceful effect and soon he found himself quite relaxed, despite Nanaki's words. His instincts built from his training as a SeeD told him to lay back and relax for awhile, that nothing would disturb them anytime within the foretold future. And like most of the time, his instincts were right. Minutes passed, and a half hour had come and gone when Saitek finally drew to a stop.

"Should be around here somewhere~" He sing-songed, obviously in a very good mood. The cub had kept quiet this entire time in a strange companionship with his new friend. He'd enjoyed it, and hadn't felt the need to badger him with questions or talk at all, really. It was kind of neat, Saitek thought. It made him feel older and he enjoyed it immensely. It made him feel... He didn't know, responsible or something.

Nustle came to a stop, sighing dramatically. This place again? He stomped the desert floor impatiently, turning his head to look at his rider impatiently. What on Gaea would you want to come out here for? It's the dead of night, getting cold and there's no greens anywhere! 'Kweh'! He complained, glaring at the human for all of his worth.

Only to be ignored as Squall sat up in the saddle, sitting straight as he looked over the landscape with the fierce sharpness of any predator. Nustle, fortunately, failed to see him as a predator. He was only a human, a human that this little Chocobo just happened to save earlier, thank you very much. And if Nustle had anything to say about it he would _not_ be ignored! His beak hit the torso of his rider, closing with satisfaction around the leather of his jacket before he _pulled_.

"Wha-!!?" Squall barely managed to shout before the Chocobo yanked him off the saddle and onto the desert floor in one swift and deft move, catching him completely off guard. Squall grunted when his back hit the dirt and the Chocobo stood over him proudly, squawking in it's victory. 'Wark'!

Squall was stunned and surprised, wondering what in Hyne had come over the damned bird before his anger caught up to him. He -hated- them! Stupid birds! Before he could retaliate though, something small red and furry shot past his vision and collided with the Chocobo, knocking it back several steps with a surprised and terrified squawking. 'Kweh! Kweh!'

"Don't worry I got 'em Leon!" Howled Saitek joyfully, who was currently latched onto the breast of the bird as it stomped and squawked and fought back with all of its feathered fury.

The pint-sized predator had a good grip on the bird, and despite all of Nustle's wonderfully instinct driven moves he couldn't dislodge the thing from him. Panicked, he warbled and squawked something fierce as he ran around in circles, attempting to kick his legs up to dislodge the new necklace of fur and completely failing.

Saitek yowled, "Take this! Raa! And that!" He swatted at Nustle's beak as the Chocobo tried pecking him, and the two of them soon became a blur of red and yellow as they tustled in the desert dirt.

Squall stared, incredulous at the scuffle playing out before him. He decided he wouldn't bother saving either of them, letting the two of them work out their own differences and trusting Saitek be able to hand a bird. Sitting up from where he'd fallen, he looked down at his dirtied clothes and scowled, brushing the dust off of his leather with firm, quick pats of his hands. As he did this, he glanced around at where they'd stopped. The land was broken up and uneven, miles of desert stretching either way around them and covered with large white boulders piled onto several heaps that spread out in every direction.

He stood, continuing to brush himself off as the sound of the battle continued, accessorised(2) by the Chocobo's warbles and Saitek's growls and hoots of laughter. If Squall had to place a bet, he'd honestly have to put his money on the little cub. Straightening, he watched the fight for a brief moment before something caught his attention in his peripheral. Turning his head, he looked again and waited for the flash of orange from Saitek's tail to swing back this way, and when it did he caught it again. A glint. A familiar one.

Walking over to the large pile of boulders, he squinted in the darkness as the glint escaped him time and again. It took several minutes but he finally managed to pinpoint the location, stuck beneath a pair of heavy boulders that tented over it. Squall frowned, wondering how the heck it got there. Kneeling down, he reached his arm into the crack provided and stretched his fingers out as far as they could go, feeling to catch on anything. The first several swipes failed, but then he managed to hook a finger around a smooth groove and pull. Metal scraped against the dusty desert floor and Squall finally managed to get a good grip around the object, grasping it tightly as he fished it out from beneath the boulders.

He was very satisfied and grateful, comforted by the familiar sight of the gunblade in his hands as he stood up and looked the weapon over. It appeared to have gotten through the Time Compression unscathed, the blade a gleaming silver in the moonlight. The chambers were blessedly clear of any dirt that he could see and the hilt only had a minor scratch from the journey. Sighing with satisfaction, he turned back to see that the fight was over and Nustle the Chocobo was looking quite frazzled. It's yellow feathers were tussled and it bore several scuff marks, hence the reason for it's practically obsessed preening as its beak tore through its feathers at sonic speed.

Saitek was approaching Squall, his small red chest puffed out proudly. "Ha! I showed 'em. Whatcha got?" The cub asked as he trotted closer. His eyes widened at the sight of the gunblade Squall held in his hands and he whistled.(3) "Hey, a sword! Cool!" He shouted, "Where'd ya get it? Is it yours?!"

Squall nodded, hefting the weapon with a few natural and well practiced swings. He felt much better with it. It weighed him down, made him feel anchored. It was a comfort he wasn't used to living without. Swinging it over his head and resting the blade on his shoulder, he scanned the horizon as he spoke, "I don't think anyone's out here," He mused, "We should get back."

Saitek nodded, wide-eyed and quite busy at imagining just how heroic his friend looked in that pose. "Hey! Can I see it?"

Squall looked down, thinking for a moment before he shrugged. "Sure." He knelt down, lowering the weapon and holding it out for the cub to inspect. Saitek walked closer to it, eyes taking in every detail of the weapon. It was awesome, he thought, and he was even more excited to see that Leon carried such an awesome weapon. He'd seen swords before, but not many people used them. Not when they had guns and other types of weapons to use. His dad said they were something called a novelty now, but his father had also told him stories of when swords were used all the time, even with guns around. He'd said that great warriors used them, and that he'd known one of the greatest.

This gave Sai a completely whole new level of respect for his friend suddenly, and his heart practically burst with emotion at the thought that maybe, just maybe.... He was friends with a great warrior, like his father. "..Are you a great warrior?" He asked suddenly and sincerely, looking up at Leon with a hope-filled gaze.

Squall lifted an eyebrow slightly, considering the cub's question. _He_ wouldn't call himself a great warrior.. He knew he could fight, and knew his skills but to call himself a great warrior was something of a conceited travesty he couldn't do. His friends however would all beg to differ, he was sure of it. And everyone else seemed to agree with them. So, he shrugged and settled for, "Maybe."

"Really?" Saitek asked, his voice pitching high enough to squeak at the word. "...Wow."

Unsettled by the look in the cub's eyes, Squall stood and swung his gunblade over his shoulder, letting the sword fall against his back with a familiar and welcome weight.(3) Turning, he walked over to where Nustle was still preening himself. Pulling himself back on top of the bird, he looked down at Sai who'd followed him over. "Alright, let's go back." He said, "Lead the way."

Saitek was more than happy to oblige, trotting off as he called for Nustle. "C'mon ya stupid bird!" He cackled, and the Chocobo gave an insulted squawk before racing after the dancing flame-tipped tail.

_.:`'~ Legacy ~'`:._

"You were right, Bugo. Titan II is nowhere to be seen. How very odd." Nanaki murmured, looking away from the scope to see Bugo standing there, fidgeting.

"See? And I don't see anything to tell us what happened to it either. If something hit it, there'd be _something_. A dust trail, cosmic vapors, _something_, y'know?" He said, scowling. "But there's just.. nothing. Like it was just plucked up or snuck out."

Nanaki nodded a little. "Perhaps we should speak with one of the Shera's and see if they've seen anything strange."

Bugo's face lighted at the idea. "There's a smart idea," He said, walking over to a wall covered with consoles and screens. Nanaki hopped down from the screen and padded after him, watching Bugo input a few selections into the computer before the screen flickered to life suddenly before them.

"-to Cosmo Canyon. This is Johnny Kunsel(4), do you rea-Oh! Hello Bugo! Nanaki, how are you two tonight?"

Johnny's face popped up onto the screen, stopping just at his shoulders. He smiled at them, obviously happily surprised at the both of them being there.

"We're doing fine Johnny," Bugo said, "How about you guys? How's life on the Shera?"

Johnny's left shoulder lifted in a shrug. "It's pretty good, can't complain. Hey, I got something for you guys. Dr. Conolly wants you to check it out if that's cool."

Bugo and Nanaki looked at each other, wondering if this had to do with the missing Titan II. Looking back at the screen Bugo nodded. "Sure, what is it?"

"I'm sending the files over now. We recorded a couple of strange spikes the other day and wanted you to take a look at it and get back to us when you get the chance."

Nanaki perked up. "Spikes? In the Lifestream?"

Johnny stared at the Lienliek for a long moment. "...Yea."

No one called it the Lifestream anymore. It was always the science, research and study of _Spiritus Profusum_. Nanaki did not like the strange name at all and never referred to it as such. It felt oddly blasphemous.

"We'll look at it immediately." He said, though, eager to see what the spikes meant. The Lifestream had long ago left the surface of the Planet, draining every Mako reactor and leaving mako fountains dry. On the rare occasion, a working Materia could be found but other than that there was really no evidence at all it had ever existed save for historical documents and in Nanaki's case, eye-witness accounts.

Bugo wasn't _as_ excited about Nanaki, but felt eager to see what it was regardless. "Johnny, we have a question for you."

"Shoot."

"Have you recorded anything else out of the ordinary? Other than with the er, Lifestream?"

"What do you mean?" Johnny asked, his frowning expression puzzled.

"Nanaki and I have been unable to locate Titan II."

"Titan II?" There was a pause before his face lit. "Ohh, you mean in that space cluster. Uh, nope. Haven't seen anything but I can check. You said you can't _find_ it?"

Bugo shook his head. "It's disappeared. Nothing left. It just up and vanished."

"Huh. That's weird.. Let me see if I can see anything. Hang on a second." Johnny disappeared from the screen and the sound of his movement carried over. They could see a shadow pass over the monitor every once in a while, and roughly three minutes later Johnny returned, a frown fixed on his face.

"I don't see it either.." He murmured, distracted with his hands busy off screen. Nanaki could only assume he was moving and switching views on his monitors, searching for the missing piece from every angle. "Well.. wait a minute."

Nanaki and Bugo leaned forward.

"..Yea. There it is. I see it."

Bugo breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank Gaea. Where is it?"

"Over the Northern Continent."

Silence followed.

Bugo was the first to speak, leaving Nanaki standing there with a shocked expression. "..The Northern Continent?"

"Yea.. It's the weirdest thing.. What the heck. Hang on, I'll transmit."

A moment later and the screen flickered, the image of Johnny disappearing in favor of a more ethereal view. Gaea slowly turned beneath their gaze, surrounded in a glowing halo of white atmosphere. In the far right they could make out the purple mass of the passing galaxy, but the screen zoomed in to the left and far away from it should be there stood little Titan II, a purple and green swirling orb of cosmic dust and dirt minding its own business.

"What is it doing?" Bugo asked in a soft whisper, curiously reverent.

"I don't know. This really isn't my kind of thing, _Spiritus Profusum_ and all. But it looks like it's just sort of floating there."

Nanaki, finally regaining his senses shook his head briefly. He stared at the small speck, his voice quiet as he murmured absentmindedly, "I never noticed what color it was before."

Bugo sighed fondly. "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

"But what is it doing?" Asked the Lienliek, his eyes glued to the screen.

Bugo shrugged. "If you ask me, I'd say it's orbiting."

"Orbiting?" Johnny interrupted, still listening.

"Yeah," Bugo said, clearing his throat. "I think somehow it got knocked off course, and it's fallen into Gaea's gravitational pull. Sort of like a very tiny moon."

"Huh. Can it do that?" Johnny asked.

"Yes it can. Seems it has, too. Though.. That still doesn't explain why it didn't leave any cosmic vapors." Bugo rubbed his chin thoughtfully, settling his heavy weight over his legs in a different standing position.

"Johnathon?" A female voice suddenly interrupted, and Bugo's face broke into a wide grin. He looked over at Nanaki, mouthing _Dr. Conolly_. Nanaki rolled his eyes, though unable to keep from grinning also. The both of them knew about Johnny's tremendous nonreciprocating crush on the doctor and had a running bet of how long it'd be before he cracked.

"Dr. Conolly!" Johnathon's voice said, and Bugo made a face at the reverent tone in the other's voice.

"Bugo, we can still see you." She said.

Nanaki laughed as his friend blanched, and the screen flickered back to the space station to show Johnny and Dr. Conolly both standing there. Johnny looking sheepish and Dr. Conolly appearing slightly amused.

"I'm glad Johnathon still has you on the screen," She said, getting to business. "I assume he's told you about the spike?"

"Yes." Nanaki replied, nodding his head. "We'll look at it as quickly as possible and report back with our findings. When did it occur?"

"About two days ago," She said, "He sent you the information, right?"

Bugo reached forward, tapping an edge of the screen as a transparent and completely colored bar appeared on screen. "Yes he has." He confirmed.

"Good. Now that that's underway," Dr. Conolly reached up, pulling her glasses from her face and gently rubbing the back of her wrist over an eye. She sighed softly, looking back at them. "Nanaki, have you heard anything from Edge?"

Nanaki, puzzled at the sudden turn of conversation tilted his head. "No.." He said slowly, "I have not. Is there something amiss?"

Dr. Conolly rolled her eyes. "There's _always_ something amiss with Edge. But the reason I'm asking is because I just sent the second spike over to them and noticed something during the transfer. Their satellites are mobilizing and there seems to be something of a disturbance over the Northern Shinra Base."

Johnny looked at the doctor. "How did you..?"

"The Northern Base?" Nanaki interrupted. It was no secret that Dr. Conolly was as good with computers and technology as she was her science. Apparently she hadn't told Johnny about her habits, though. Not that Nanaki cared about that at the moment, not when this was suddenly more urgent.

"Yes," She replied, "Have you.." Her voice trailed and she looked off screen. Replacing her glasses she leaned forward, past Johnny and peered at something they couldn't see. Johnny's face flushed.

"What's this?" She asked, looking at him. Johnny looked over.

"Titan II."

"Titan II? ..Wasn't that part of the space cluster?"

"Yea. They were asking if I'd seen it." He motioned back to the monitor as Bugo and Nanaki exchanged glances.

"What's it doing out there?" She asked.

"Don't know, that's what we're trying to find out. Bugo thinks it might've decided to stick around with us for a bit. Kind of like a moon." He was all too eager to supply information to his crush, and his lovesick words were heard by all but the good doctor herself.

"It's over the Northern Continent." She observed, a small frown showing on her face as her eyes became wistful.

"Yea.." Johnny said slowly, wondering what was going on in her head. He recognized it as one of her thoughtful looks, when her amazingly intelligent mind was clicking together pieces of a puzzle with no mercy.

"Oh....Oh! ..Oh, I see now. I see what they're doing." She suddenly exclaimed, standing up with a self-indulgent sense of pride. "Makes sense, though I can't imagine why they'd bother with it. It's so small."

"Dr. Conolly?" Bugo's deep voice interrupted, silently asking for an explanation of a situation neither of the remaining three understood.

"Oh. I'm sorry. I could be mistaken, though I'm confident I'm not, but it seems Shinra will be shooting down your little Titan II, there."

"What?!" Bugo squawked, his eyes widening.

Nanaki was equally surprised. "Shooting it down?" He asked, "Why?"

Dr. Conolly shrugged, standing back from the monitor as Johnny breathed a soft sigh of relief. "I don't know, Nanaki. That's not exactly my area of expertise. I would assume it's because they don't want it there."

Johnny interrupted suddenly, "Hey. Hey.. look at this, guys." Suddenly the observatory's screen flickered back to the zoomed image of Titan II, gently rotating in orbit close to Gaea's atmosphere. Nanaki might've been imagining things, but he could've sworn it was actually _closer_ than what it had been before.

In the distance beyond the small piece of space debris, everyone could see one of the Shinra satellites turning in its orbit to face the wayward rock. It had been so predictable in the backdrop of the atmosphere that they hadn't paid attention to it before. But now as it adjusted and the end of it's tri-based cone-shaped funnel turned they couldn't help but acknowledge what they were about to witness. Several minutes passed before the spectating group could see the telltale glowing of light at the tip of the funnel growing brighter with every passing moment. Energy traveled in florescent nearly neon green along the sides of the satellite to gather at the point until burst outwards with a flash of blinding light.

Nanaki and Bugo winced, squinting their eyes and turning their heads as the screen flashed brightly. When the light faded and they looked back they were met with the rather anticlimactic sight of absolutely nothing. The satellite was no longer glowing, the tip of its funnel slowly pivoting back towards Gaea's surface and there was absolutely nothing left of Titan II except for small particles and pieces that pelted against the planet's atmosphere.(5)

Bugo sighed forlornly. "...Poor thing. Why did they destroy it?"

The screen flickered and came back to Johnny and Dr. Conolly, who was leaning back after switching it over. "I don't know." The doctor said with a shrug, sliding her hands into her pockets. "One can only guess at why Shinra does what it does. Maybe they thought there was a chance it would crash into the surface?"

Bugo thought about that for a moment. "Even with the slight possibility of it occurring I don't think they should've been concerned with it. If it did somehow break through the atmosphere in a piece large enough to do any damage, I sincerely doubt it would've done much more than create a small lake. Nothing to warrant destroying it."

Dr. Conolly shrugged in compliance. "One can only assume." She nodded to the both of them, then. "Bugo, Nanaki. If you could investigate and report back swiftly I would appreciate it. Good evening to you both, gentlemen." She turned then, her image disappearing off screen.

Johnny stepped forward, turning back to the screen after watching her leave the room. "Sorry Bugo, knew you kind of liked the little bugger."

Bugo shrugged at him, sighing in mock. "Ohhhh.. It's just my heart, Johnny." He chuckled, waving his hand dismissively. "No big deal. It was going to leave me anyways. Little tramp."

Johnny grinned. "Well, guess I should go. Hey, have some drinks for me tonight, yea?"

"Sure thing." Bugo nodded. "See you Johnny, we'll report back as soon as we have results."

"Thanks. Bye guys. Out."

Bugo looked over to Nanaki, the Lienliek's silence weighing heavily in the air. Nanaki appeared deep in thought, perhaps lost in a memory somewhere. Bugo hated to admit it, but it happened more often then not these days. Nanaki's red fur was tinted with grey and his age was catching up to him slowly. He reached over, running a hand through the dark fur of his mane. "Still with me?"

Nanaki looked over, huffing and shaking his head free of Bugo's petting. "Funny, Bugo."

Bugo laughed at his friend, shaking his head. "C'mon, let's go see what the fuss is about downstairs." Downstairs of course meaning the canyon, and fuss meaning Festival.

_.:`'~ Legacy ~'`:._

The Festival was a great success. It went well into the night with lots of party goers and events happening all over the Canyon which had been brought to life from the festivities. Squall and Saitek had returned not long after it had officially begun, and after returning Nustle to the stables Saitek proceeded to give his new friend a tour of the canyon, explaining certain things as they passed by them.

Squall had to admit he sort of liked the cub. Well, perhaps liked was jumping ahead of himself. He didn't _mind_ the little beast. Saitek became excited much too easily and displayed youthful immaturity at random, unexplained intervals, but Squall was capable of seeing that the cub was actually quite ready to grow up and more than willing to prove it. At some point during the night, Cheyna had caught up with them. After she'd learned of the outing she had scowled and rolled her eyes, but left it alone. Saitek had explained that his sister liked it where she was and preferred staying put, much different than his own restless tendencies.

The party was dwindling down little by little, although the ruckus was still much too loud for Squall's tastes. He'd found himself a cozy corner and claimed it, sitting in one of the stone-carved benches along a more quiet area that still allowed him to watch everything with little hindrance. Saitek had run off and on during the time, never seeming to tire; but now Squall found himself with a warm, cozy red ball of fur curled against his side. Saitek's head was resting on his arms and the tip of his tail flicked once every couple of seconds, but other than that the cub didn't move at all. He was struggling to stay awake if his drooping eyes were any indication and Squall wondered why he bothered. Cheyna had long since given up the fight, curled up next to her brother and fast dozing.

Squall stared down at the sleepy cubs, lifting a drink he'd apprehended to his lips and sipping it. He'd been nursing it for awhile now, though if he remembered correctly it was his fourth of the night. He assumed it to be at least slightly alcoholic in nature, given the warm lightheaded feeling he was currently riding on. He didn't mind it, it was soothing.

As he stared down at the cub, his hand lifted of its own accord and he gently scratched behind one of Saitek's ears with a single finger, eliciting an immediate purring response from the cub as he leaned into the scratch. Squall smirked slightly, unable to help himself. He may've hated birds, but he did always have a soft spot for cats.

"There you are." A soft voice interrupted them, and Squall looked up to see Nanaki wearily approaching them from around the bend. His large paws padded softly on the stone floor and he stopped just a foot away, looking at the sight of his two cubs sleeping so trustfully next to Squall. He'd been extremely relieved when Squall and Saitek had returned from their venture, although quite interested in the sword they'd returned with. It was an odd weapon and he had to admit it was quite interesting to look at, but he had kept his curiosity at bay.

"They're asleep." He murmured, looking up at the mercenary who looked just about ready to follow suit. Squall nodded in response, tilting his head back and resting it against the stone wall behind him as his hand rested fully on the now sleeping cub's head, settled between his ears.

"Sai has grown very fond of you," Nanaki continued, easing himself to a sitting position on his back legs and wincing a little at the weariness of his bones. He'd been quite busy this evening inbetween the observatory, his new guest and all of the tourists. It had taken a lot of effort to keep the festivities under control and more often than not he'd had to settle disputes between arguing party goers. He was glad it was almost over, though he wouldn't have traded the night for anything. Several times during the night his family would catch up to him, and out of them all Saitek had been the most excited and enthusiastic. The cub had been practically vibrating with energy, spilling out pieces of information he'd managed to pull from Squall -Leon- during the night. From this, Nanaki knew that Squall was indeed a warrior and that yes, he did know how to use his weapon, which he called a gunblade. Squall hated Chocobo's, preferred tea over coffee and had absolutely no idea of what he was doing in relation to finding his friends. There had been several other juicy tidbits, but Nanaki's thoughts had grabbed the last piece and settled over it like a mother hen over an egg, shifting constantly to figure out what to do with it.

"Mm." Was the Lienliek's only dignified response.

Nanaki chuckled quietly, amused at the sudden ineloquent Squall. "He told me you didn't know where to start your search." Nanaki asked, testing the water gently with a small toe.

Squall sighed, shaking his head. "To be honest with you, Nanaki, I have no idea what I'm doing."

With that, Nanaki came to the conclusion that Squall must've enjoyed a few of the festival's drinks. Either that, or Squall was simply too tired to bother with keeping his guard up for the moment. He wouldn't take advantage of that, instead keeping to the topic at hand. "Perhaps you should start in an area more populated, where you could have more resources at your disposal." He suggested, lowering his weight to lay his belly on the smooth, cool stone floor beneath them.

Squall remained silent for several moments before looking up. "Where do you suggest?" He asked curiously, his warm mind keeping him quite compliant and filling with a pleasant tingling.

"Edge." Nanaki said without hesitance. The city was large and the heart of Shinra, but if Squall were to find his friends he would guess that the mercenary would need to have supplies and resources not available anywhere else. That, and.. well.. "Tomorrow, my cubs and I will be making the journey to Midgar. It's just outside of Edge and you may come with us if you'd like." His own feelings of the matter may have interfered. This way, Squall could get where he needed to go and Saitek got to spend more time with his new friend.

Assuming Edge was a city, Squall shrugged and tilted his head back, completely oblivious to the depth that lay beneath the suggestion. "Sure." He said, sighing contently as his eyes drifted shut.

…_**..............:`' ~ Author's Notes ~'`:................**_

_1) Iunno if he does or doesn't, really. But -everyone- seems to like them so I decided to make Squall stand out in the crowd. Plus Cloud is always related to Chocobo's, so won't that be funny when they meet? :D_

_2) What the heck is the proper spelling for that? D: I know it's a word, dag nabbit. It's gotta be, right?_

_3) Don't ask questions or wonder how it stays there. You'll only hurt yourself.  
_

_4) Another homage._

_5) Of course it's anticlimactic! No 'splosions in space! Or something. D: Plus they're watching from video feeds, and the Shera XIII is on the complete opposite side of the planet. So yea, to them it was just poof! And it's gone. _

_Kay, I'm done with this chapter. I've been writing for about seven or eight hours straight, so I deserve my break! It was great, though. This is the fourth revision of this chapter, the previous three being absolute -crap-. The choppiness that took control in Chapter One put up a damn good struggle, but this fourth revision flowed so nicely that I literally couldn't stop until I'd finished. And now I have done so, I am satisfied and I can relax and eat my steak and cheese sandwich. Hurrah!_

_Hope you enjoyed it. I **apologize** for not leaving Cosmo Canyon yet, but the chapter is already long and I didn't want to make it too long. I don't know if people prefer the longer or shorter chapters, let me know? Next chapter I **promise** they will leave Cosmo Canyon, there will be a time jump and they will arrive in Midgar/Edge and then the fun can begin when Squall finds out where she is and heads out after her to the Northern Continent. Run-on sentence! Woo! Vincent will make a brief cameo, I believe, and some more stuff happens. _

_Cloud should be coming back within another two, three chapters at most. Hopefully two. Heck, who knows, if I do this right maybe even the end of the next chapter! So please be patient with me until then. And yes, the whole schpleal(huh?) with the outer space drama happened for a reason, which should become clear in the next couple of chapters. I hope you enjoy it!_

_Expect Sai to be shadowing Squall for awhile, there's a good chance he'll refuse to return to the canyon, it all depends on how strong Nanaki's resolve is. Cheyna, on the other hand, bless her sweet heart, will be all too happy to return home. What do you think of Sai? I like the little bugger, he's been afflicted with Hero Worship, baw haw haw. Think of it as Squall's first permanent party member, though I don't know if he'll be around all of the time. Just a lot in the beginning before things get too crazy and Nanaki orders him home._

_As always, please review for me? Let me know if I'm doing things right? Do you see any gaping or small plot holes? Out of characters? Repetitive useage? Got a question? Want a spoiler? Anything at all that should be fixed or improved on? Or better yet, if you like it, let me know! :D _

_Poor Nustle was so underplayed. :(_


	6. Too Late

_.:`'~ Legacy ~'`:._

_-=-=-=-=-=-_

_I close my eyes and I keep seeing things  
Rainbow waterfalls_ _  
Sunny liquid dreams_ _  
_

_Confusion creeps inside me raining doubt_ _  
Gotta get to you_ _  
But I don't know how_

_-=-=-=-=-=-_

That first night in Cosmo Canyon Squall Leonhart had a dream.

Unlike most dreams that were chaotic and fuddled with random memories, this dream was strangely lucid. In fact, he'd honestly thought that he was standing in that meadow, with flowers bending in the breeze and feathery tufts hovering in the air around him. It was a pleasant place and he allowed himself to relax, closing his eyes as he waited for her. He'd finally made it and he had no doubt that she would be here.

Time passed and there was no way of knowing just how much passed until he opened his eyes again. When he did he was startled to find that the meadow had disappeared, it's weaving fronds replaced by a gentle ocean that lapped on the sandy white beach he stood upon. Squall frowned as he looked around, displeased with the sudden transition. This wasn't where he needed to be, where he was _supposed_ to be. Where was he?

Turning a little as his boots crunched in the sand he became aware of an odd sound. It began in the back of his head, in the distance of the horizon as a dull static. Turning around he could only see more ocean and when he looked down he realized he was standing on a small island of sand, lost somewhere in the middle of a sea that stretched out endlessly in all directions. The static sound became louder as it filled the air, always seeming to originate from behind him. But no matter how many times he turned around he failed to see anything that would make the noise. He only saw ocean, endless miles of it.

The next time he pivoted, Squall's eyes widened and he threw his arms up to protect himself as a giant wave of electric green ocean crashed into him. It hit him with a tremendous force and pain exploded in every part of his body. He didn't know if he screamed or not, unable to hear anything through the static charge in the air and the rush of water in his ears. The liquid surrounded and assaulted him, seeping through his skin and into his mind. He felt a familiar sensation of icy green claws scratching through his head, ripping apart every shred of memory in search of something. He remembered briefly where he'd experienced this before, in the last few moments of the Time Compression. With that thought, however, the clawing tendrils of energy hastily threw it away, in search of something else and something deeper.

He wasn't certain what it was looking for but just the same as it'd happen in the Time Compression the clawing energy seemed to finally find and grasp ahold of whatever it sought. Squall felt that strange sense of satisfaction that it resonated in the instant it let go. The tidal wave disappeared and Squall fell to his knees, clutching his aching head with a grimace. His breath was harsh and ragged in his chest from the assault, everything in his vision was dancing and.. glowing. ..Wait, glowing?

Grimacing, he pulled his head up and squinted into the dream. He realized he was no longer in the ocean nor in the meadow, but rather a forest. A forest composed of tall, ancienttrees with branches that criss-crossed the solid black sky above him. It was dark and were it not for the brilliant neon white glow resonating from the trees he doubted he would be able to see anything at all. It was a place that appeared as mythical as any fairy tale.

Squall found the dull aches and pains in his head quickly seeping away as he stood, stumbling further into the surreal landscape around him. The further he went the less the pain he felt. It fell away with every step he took until he couldn't remember ever hurting at all. He was overcome with a tremendous sense of peace and serenity, and there was a gentle tugging that kept him going. It almost felt like he belonged here, as strange as that seemed. The forest exuded welcome and warmth and _wholeness_ that his body now fought against moving any further. It belonged here.

Squall fell to the ground in a boneless heap, his fingers curling against the glittering dirt beneath him. His cheek lay on the soft, damp earth and his eyes became heavy as he stared at the nearest tree. Coherent thoughts quickly left him, whispering away mischeviously as he was left with nothing but a sense of belonging. An urge to stay that was so strong and compelling that who was he to resist when this was so obviously where he belonged?

His eyes closed--

Just as he awoke with Saitek happily chirping it was time to go to Midgar. Three weeks have passed since then. And every night had been plagued with lucid dreams of a glowing forest and intense green oceans, though he'd only been assaulted twice since then. Squall didn't know what to make of it and hadn't spoken of his dreams to anyone. They were just dreams, after all. Trivial things in comparison to his journey.

They'd left early that morning and had been traveling practically nonstop since. He'd been given Nustle to ride, Nanaki insisting on bringing the bird along for Squall. The mercenary had scowled but didn't argue. He'd suffer the bird if he had to.

The journey had been enlightening for him, to be honest. He learned a lot about this world from asking questions and listening to stories. Edge was the capital of Shinra, a nation that controlled the majority of the world, with Wutai stubbornly controlling the other portion. Edge itself was composed of two different halves, the other half named Kalm. Nanaki had briefly touched base on the fact they had been at one time two completely separate cities, but over the course of history had grown and expanded until they'd simply _merged_.

Nanaki was all too happy to oblige in some story telling at his cub's request and through his stories Squall had gained a lot of information on the history of the planet. He'd been surprised to realize just how old Nanaki was and when he asked about it, the Lienliek had explained how his species were simply long-lived creatures. He himself expected to live at least another hundred years or so. Squall could only assume that meant that in human terms, Nanaki he could wager would be in his fifties or sixties, and his cubs were in their eager, youthful teenage years.

Through the stories, Squall knew that Midgar had once been Shinra's base of operations until a disaster had destroyed the city several hundred years prior. He also knew that Nanaki and his cubs believed the planet to be an actual living thing, and that they were all just fragments of itself. It was an interesting concept he had to admit, though how much of it he'd take seriously was left open for discussion.

They'd travelled north east from Cosmo Canyon and the farther they went the more the scenery changed. From desert, dirt and boulders slowly a bit of green started to sneak in, and often Squall could've sworn he heard the sound of vehicles. Saitek all too enthusiastically explained that there were a few major highways running through the desert, but they wouldn't see any because Cosmo Canyon preferred it's desert bare and open. Then Nanaki embellished the fact with the knowledge that their trip wouldn't be taking any sort of public transportation at all, save for the ferry across the sea to Midgar. Squall now understood why he'd been given Nustle.

Once they touched land on the other side of the small sea, Squall was disheartened to see that the scenery just got worse. From the dusty brown of the healthy desert to the dry, gray and absolutely desolate landscape that composed Midgar. According to Nanaki, this was the result of something called Mako and how when it had been used it had drained the area dry of all life. The practice was long gone now, a practically forgotten art but the planet, the Lienliek assumed, had decided to leave this part open and dead to remind everyone of the price there was to pay. Although to pay for what, Squall wasn't sure of and didn't bother asking.

Now as they approached high canyon walls to either side of them Squall noticed that the group was slowing. Nanaki stopped altogether, looking around him before making a satisfied noise in his throat. Turning his head he fixed Squall with a steady look, "You will need to wait here." He explained, "The rest of the journey is for us and it will not take long."

Squall, who had been told this was a sort of coming of age thing for the cubs didn't object. He nodded, leaning forward in the Chocobo's saddle as Nustle ruffled its feathers with adoring coo's.

Saitek grinned at Squall. "We'll be back in a jiffy. I can outrun my old man any day!"

Nanaki huffed, more than amused at his son's boisterous claim. "Oh can you?" He said, a mischevious glint shining in his eye.

"You bet I can!" Saitek growled playfully, thrusting his chest out proudly as his flame-tipped tail lashed wildly in the air.

Squall noticed that one of their party was already missing, and couldn't help but be extremely amused as Nanaki and Saitek both suddenly realized Cheyna was already well in the lead, having bounded ahead as the two of them fussed back and forth. He snickered as the Lienliek's turned and darted into the distance after her, howling in betrayal and leaving trails of dust kicked up in their wake.

Just him and the bird, now. Squall grimaced slightly, looking down at Nustle. The Chocobo thankfully was being a good sport for the moment, content to sit there and wark and kweh to itself in some sort of inner monologue.

To be honest, Nustle was narrating. But no one could understand this because despite how clever it's rider and the wannabe predators seemed, they just couldn't understand the obviously advanced dialect of the bird brain.

Turning in the saddle, Squall fished out a water bottle from one of the two bags strapped to the side of the bird. He twisted the cap off and took a few healthy swigs of the warm liquid, wiping the sleeve of his jacket across his face afterwards. As he replaced the cap the whistle of the wind blowing through the canyon was interrupted by a loud, electronic chirping sound. Digging through the pack he came across a small instrument that looked a lot like a phone. The name from the caller was unknown to him, no surprise there. He considered leaving it be, but on a whim he flipped it open. "Hello?"

There was a pause on the end, before a deep voice asked quietly, "Who is this?" There was a cautious curiosity there.

Squall considered whether or not to answer. "Leon." He finally answered, opting to go for the nickname the cubs had given him. No use in giving away his name to a complete stranger.

"Where is Nanaki?" The voice asked again, and this time he could definitely detect a sense of underlying weariness. The caller had obviously been caught off guard.

"He's running towards Midgar." Squall answered, quickly deciding there was no reason to lie. The caller's name had been a part of Nanaki's contacts, after all.

"Ah." The voice seemed to understand the message behind that. There was another pause and then suddenly, as if a new idea had occurred to the caller he asked, "What was your name again?"

"Leon."

"Your real name."

Squall's eyes narrowed and he held the phone a little more tightly. How did he..? Silence reigned between the two of them for prolonged minute, and Squall suddenly felt foolish. If he trusted Nanaki – did he trust him? - then he should be able to trust the Lienliek's friends. Besides, he doubted anyone would recognize him anyways. This wasn't even his world.

"Squall." He finally answered, crossing his free arm over is chest.

"Squall, huh?" It sounded like the caller was a little distracted.

"Squall?!" Another voice suddenly interrupted, a very familiar voice. "Squall is that you?"

His breath caught in his chest. "..Rinoa?" He whispered, his entire body frozen stiff.

There was the strange sound of movement on the other side of the phone before she spoke again, her voice clear and definitely recognizable now. "Squall! Oh Hyne! Where are you?!"

Squall felt his throat clench at the sheer depth of _relief_ he heard in her voice. His heart quickened a little as he answered, "Midgar. Rinoa, are you alright? Is everyone else with you? Where are you?"

There wasn't an answer, and for a second he thought he'd lost her. "Rinoa..?!"

Suddenly she began to laugh and Squall frowned. "If I didn't know any better Squall Leonhart I'd say you missed me." She teased him, and Squall felt all of his tension melt away. He refrained from sighing, but a ghost of a smile touched his lips.

"Whatever." He said.

Rinoa laughed again and his traitorous heart leaped at the sound. "I miss you too." She said, the smile audible over the phone. He could just imagine how she held it, eagerly with both hands to her ears. "I'm in.." She paused a moment and he could hear a faint murmur in the background. "I'm at the Northern Shinra Base. Vincent found me."

Vincent. The name from the caller ID. "Is anyone else there with you?" Squall asked, stubbornly attempting to keep his voice monotonous.

"No," She said a little sadly. "It's just me.. ..You?"

"..No." He said, and the joyous reunion suffered a small drop in morale. Squall straightened up, collecting himself quickly. "I'll come get you. Stay where you are, alright? Rinoa," He paused, "I'll come for you."

There was another pause, and he could've sworn he heard her voice shake when she responded. "I'll be waiting."

Squall let out a deep breath he hadn't been aware he'd been holding. He nodded, well aware she couldn't see it. "Put Vincent back on."

There was a shuffle of movement again before silence. Certain that Vincent had the phone and was waiting, Squall continued, his voice calm and calculating. "Is she safe?"

"Yes." Vincent replied smoothly, and Squall had a hard time finding a reason to doubt the certainty in his voice.

"Look. The only only reason I'm asking you this is because you're a friend of Nanaki's. But.. will you stay with her until I arrive? Can I trust you?"

There was a meaningful pause on the other end. "..Yes." The voice finally responded, answering both questions.

Deciding to leave it at that, Squall clicked the phone shut. He didn't think it rude to hang up on Vincent like that, he didn't know the guy and from the sounds of it the man wouldn't care either way. All that mattered was that Vincent had said he'd keep her safe, and Squall trusted him to keep that word.

_Imagine that. Me trusting an absolute stranger.. I must be desperate._ Squall tightened his jaw at the thought. No... Not desperate. With everything behind him and the friends he'd made he realized he'd changed a lot more than he'd realized. He felt.. He didn't know. He felt more at ease with the world, he guessed. It no longer looked like a steel bear trap waiting to snare him, but rather like a new concept that he approached cautiously.

He waited impatiently for Nanaki and the cubs to return, and when they did roughly a half hour later covered with dark sheened fur and panting breaths he wasted not a minute. "Vincent called." He told Nanaki, disregarding the fact the Lienliek might've been offended with him answering the phone. Instead, Nanaki looked a little surprised. Before he could question though, Squall continued. "Rinoa is with him. They're in the Northern Shinra Base. Where do I go to get there?"

Nanaki looked up at Squall, continuing to breathe heavily in quick pants as he struggled to catch his breath. He and the cubs had run without stopping the entire way to the cliff overhanging what was left of the overgrown Midgar. Nanaki had beaten both Saitek and Cheyna, and he had roared in triumph into the wind as it swept past him. His cubs, when they caught their breath, had joined in and the three of them had created one of the most exhilarating, prideful moments of his entire life. They were a living testament to Gaea's existence, and with the adrenaline in their lungs they called out with the planet's own voice of exhilaration in their echoes.

The full sprint on the way back signified the continuity of life, the tenacity of all existence. Nanaki liked to believe his cubs realized the symbolism and would keep it close to their hearts, where they would show their own cubs someday as they repeated this trek throughout their lifetimes and all the following generations. They must never forget that they are a part of the planet, as much as it was a part of them.

Shaking his coat free of clinging moisture, the Lienlike was surprised at Squall's declaration. It wasn't unusual for Vincent to call. Over the course of their friendship the ex-Turk made it a point to keep in contact with his friends since receiving his first phone several hundred years ago. It had started slowly but one by one as their allies perished, they found themselves growing more sincere about their friendships and were both eager to keep in touch. Relics of the past, Vincent liked to say. The last friend to go had been Cloud, and to this day neither of them understood just what had accosted the hero.

Nanaki knew little more than the fact that Rinoa was one of the friends Squall was searching for. The mercenary hadn't spoken much of his own life during the entire trip, leaving most of the conversation and reminiscing to the Lienliek's. Nanaki had respected his wishes and not bothered asking for any more information. How odd, though, he thought, that Vincent had come across his friend. What were the chances of that, he had to wonder. And they were at the Northern Shinra Base? What had Vincent been doing up there?

"It is a long journey," Nanaki murmured. "By foot it would take months. By Chocobo weeks. It is located on the Northern Continent, you could take a boat from the edge of Kalm. There are not many settlements that far north though, the majority of the continent is abandoned. You would need to stock up well before leaving here." He supplied as much useful information as he could, but something was fidgeting at the back of his mind, gently nudging him until he paid attention to it. He realized he was hesitant to let Squall go. The Northern Continent was a dangerous place, abandoned for a good reason as the cold, blizzard weather had grown fierce over the years and had denied the rest of the world as cities expanded. The highest concentration of monsters existed there, and while the world was plagued with the smallest number of recorded monsters in centuries, the Northern Continent boasted not only the largest variety, but also the strongest.

Nanaki felt relieved that Vincent had found Squall's friend.

Mistaking the hesitance in Nanaki's voice, Squall frowned as he asked. "Is there a quicker way?" Even by Chocobo it would take too long. What if something happened..?

Nanaki shook his head. "No. The air space is restricted over the continent due to the Shinra base, otherwise I'd suggest taking an airship." Nanaki tilted his head as he tried to think of other options with absolutely no success. "I am afraid you would do best by Chocobo. You can take Nustle, if you'd like."

Nustle, hearing its name, immediately perked up with a curious 'Wark?'. Were they talking about _him_?! Excited, he fluffed his feathers approvingly. Yes, his bird brain thought, you may love me. But _only_ if you feed me, too. And maybe take me to a lovely lady Chocobo, also. A gold one, preferably, but I'm not picky.

"Fine." Squall said, "Show me where Edge is, I'll restock and head out from there."

"But you'll get lost!" A sudden voice cried out, and both Nanaki and Squall looked to see Saitek fixing them both with a devastated expression. Having their attention he quickly trotted forward, looking between the both of them frantically. "You can't just go to the Northern Continent, you'll get lost! There's _monsters_ up there! Big ones! They'll eat you up if you don't freeze to death first!"

"Sai-" Nanaki began, but the cub wouldn't let him finish.

"Don't go, Leon!" He cried out, whimpering. "It's crazy up there! You'll get hurt!"

Squall fixed the cub with a stern gaze. "I'm going, Sai." He said firmly, "I have to get to Rinoa." He was certain he could take care of anything in his way.

Saitek could tell there was no arguing with the tone of voice Leon had used. He whimpered again, shifting his weight uncomfortably as his brain frantically tried to think of some alternatives. Looking up to see Leon still fixing him with that stern, cold look, he turned to his father. Nanaki looked sympathetic, but he could tell that his dad wasn't going to try and talk Leon out of it.

_Fine,_ Saitek thought stubbornly, huffing loudly as he tried mimicking Leon's no-nonsense voice. "I'm going too!"

"No you are not!" Nanaki said immediately, scowling at his cub, who glared back at him defiantly.

"Yes I _am_!" He snarled, feeling his fur hackling all over and not bothering to hide it. He whipped his tail angrily.

"Sai-" Cheyna began, having kept quiet this entire time. She wasn't happy about the situation either, having grown pretty fond of the human she'd dubbed their 'cousin'. But Leon seemed pretty set on it, and maybe she had a little more intuition than her spirited brother but she knew that Leon had to do this. She didn't want Sai to go, though. She'd panicked at the thought of it. Her brother couldn't leave her! So, she quickly spoke up to try and change his mind, only to be shocked when he turned his anger to her.

"Shut up, Cheyna!" He snarled, causing her to wince and whimper.

Nanaki snarled, his voice booming in the canyon as Saitek jumped, startled. "**Saitek!**" He roared, "You _**will**_ calm yourself!"

For a moment all that could be heard was the wind whistling through the stone walls, but Saitek was far from finished. His father's furious voice only fueled his own stubborn rage. His breath quickened and his chest rose and dropped sharply as he panted. He put forth all of his stubborn spirit into the glare he held with his father. Despite the fact Nanaki was at least a head taller than he was, Saitek was not intimidated. His father's rumbling growl that once petrified him did nothing but fuel his resolve. Leon was his _friend_ and he was _not_ going to let his friend wander into danger alone! Not when he could be there to help. It was infuriating to see that his father couldn't understand this, when he himself had put himself into danger so many times before! He wasn't a cub anymore!

"No, Dad." Saitek growled quietly, his fur hackling even more with the hostility in his voice, "I'm not a cub anymore! You can't stop me from going! I don't care if you say yes or not! I'm going, and you can't stop me!"

Squall watched the exchange, unwilling to interrupt. It wasn't his place, no matter what his opinion on the matter was. He understood that. And while the majority of him didn't want Saitek following along he also knew that the cub wouldn't take no for an answer. Not to mention, and Squall didn't know whether he should be ashamed for thinking this or not, but Saitek could actually help him find the place.

Nanaki glared furiously at his son, a loud growl exchanging between the two of them. He was furious with how Sai had spoken with his sister as well as his sudden attitude, but a part of Nanaki beneath the surface of this rolling anger was overwhelmed with pride. His son, he knew, would always be a cub to him somewhere deep inside. But this magnificent creature that stood daring to challenge him was more than he could ever hope for his son to be. There was a confidence that radiated from Saitek with volumes to say about his character. He was refusing to bow down to a voice that had him hiding in corners in the past, instead he rose to the challenge and his eyes dared Nanaki to stop him, knowing full well that the only way would be forceful, and Nanaki wouldn't dream of doing such a thing to his son.

It was a dangerous knowledge that Saitek now used against him.

Nanaki growled deeply. "This conversation is not over." He warned, turning his eyes away to look at Squall who sat straighter in his saddle. "We will take you to Edge." His voice was still growling, a deep rumble in the pit of his stomach as he walked past Saitek. Cheyna followed quickly at his heels, refusing to look at Sai with her head bowed low.

Squall looked back over to the cub as Nanaki and Cheyna passed him, watching as Saitek glared even still at his father's backside. His fur was standing on end and his claws had flexed grooves out of the dirt beneath him, he looked absolutely ferocious. Huffing angrily, he loped over to Squall. "C'mon." He mumbled, keeping pace with the bird as they turned and followed after Nanaki.

_**.:`'~ Legacy ~'`:.**_

The Northern Shinra Base was the largest military installation known on the planet. No one really understood why Shinra kept such a large functioning base in the middle of no man's land, but most just shrugged and didn't bother trying to figure it out. Those that concerned themselves with it eventually disappeared, anyways.

Vincent had brought Rinoa here, knowing it was the closest point of civilization without crossing the sea. He was a mysterious figure with Shinra, usually agreeing to help them with some odd job or another if they paid right. He was not without his own morals, however, refusing to do certain jobs no matter the amount of gil they promised to throw at them. Shinra and it's troops at the Northern Base regarded him as a wanderer, a man with his own goals and no limitations. They had long since learned not to anger him and tended to take him in stride. A good thing, they considered, that he didn't take it upon him to visit often. Only when he'd happened to be visiting the Northern Continent would he generally pay a visit, though always for a reason and never anything casual.

So, when he showed up through the snow one day with a passenger in tow, many of the troops already familiar with him were quite interested. A girl? They said, wondering amongst themselves as rumors abound. Had he kidnapped her? Was she his girlfriend? And jokingly, had he turned her into a vampire too?

Vincent thought _that_ joke would've gotten old by now.

Regardless of the gossip, the base was still a professionally run installation and after he and his guest had been given quarters he'd been visited by the general overseeing the base and all of it's operations. A veteran serving beneath Shinra, the general was a balding man of a weathered age. He'd seen his fair share of battles and wars and had several scars to prove it, not to mention the stinging coldness that came with killing too many.

After a brief conversation Vincent assured the general that he and his guest would only be staying for a week or two at most as they waited for a friend. The general had been quite upset at this fact, reminding the ex-Turk that the base was -not- an inn for weary travelers. But Vincent knew that the general was well aware he really had no choice in the matter. So long as Vincent kept his nose where he belonged and didn't poke around in places he shouldn't, the general could do nothing about it.

Of course, the general remarked, Vincent couldn't have picked better timing. He had a job to offer him, and it seemed easy enough. Investigate some strange reports coming from the Northern Crater. It's been done before, the crater had long lost it's dangerous luster in the years gone by. Vincent may not trust the general's career, but he did trust him as a man who could be relied on to save lives. He was a good man, even if his hardened exterior attempted to prove otherwise.

So, Vincent accepted. He would leave his charge under the general's care, with the general's solemn promise to care for the girl as if she were his own daughter. Rinoa, thankfully, didn't seem to mind Vincent's temporary absence. She had been on a permanent cloud nine after realizing that her beloved Squall was alive and well on his way to get her.

Vincent had to admit it never got tiring to see happy endings. He hadn't known her very long, but he'd determined that Rinoa truly cared for this friend of hers. When she and Squall acknowledged it, he was certain they could safely say they loved each other. Until then, though, it was like watching her step over thin ice, mesmerized by the fragility and struggling hard not to break it.

"When will you be back?" She asked in the background as Vincent prepared to leave.

"A day or so." He murmured, tucking Cerberus into the confines of his red cloak. Not much could be said of his fashion sense over the past few hundred years. He'd sometimes entertain the thought of changing his appearance, but he never could really find the ambition for it.

"Okay." Rinoa said, humming thoughtfully again. It was something she did often, he'd noticed. She reminded him strangely enough of Tifa Lockheart. The woman had been dead for a long time now, and he had at first glance could've believed this was the reincarnation of the strong martial artist. Rinoa's story quickly dismissed the assumption, though. He hadn't been spared much of her story and had taken it well in stride, something that had peaked her curiosity. When she'd asked if he really believed her, he'd simply answered yes and gave it no further thought than that.

Vincent was adept at detecting lies.

Turning, with his cloak trailing behind him, he walked to the door. His path lead him by her and he paused then, turning his head to look down at her. She looked back up questioningly, then smiled.

"Be careful, okay?"

Vincent nodded slightly, "Stay here." He ordered, leaving.

Once outside he met with the small troop of soldiers that would be accompanying him. There was a heavy truck waiting, it's loud engine grumbling in the cold. A blizzard had blown into the area over the past few hours and it was practically blinding as the truck drove through the snow. It had been fitted with snow tracks, and instead of four wheels it was carried on four small triangles, each wrapped with treads that tore through the snow and ice easily.

It took them the better part of half a day to get clear of the blizzard, and from there the trip sped up quickly. Another six hours and the truck was slowing in the snow, coming to a stop. Vincent emerged with the troop of five soldiers from the back of the vehicle, his red cloak contrasting dangerously with the bright white that surrounded them. He inhaled a deep breath of the cold air, marveling briefly at just how fresh and clear it tasted. Shinra may have monopolized and put to good use the new fuel sources that had been found so long ago, but he couldn't help but notice at how stale and.. _dirty_ the air in the populated cities seemed.

Looking over as one of the soldiers approached him, he tilted his head at the quaint salute he was given. "Sir!" The soldier said, bundled in warm clothing and large goggles set over half of his face. "We're to proceed north on foot for about one mile and scout the area for any disturbances, then report back here in six hours."

Vincent nodded his acceptance, turning as he headed into the softly falling flurries. The troop gathered their things and followed suit, trudging heavily through the snow. The trip didn't take long and soon he was overlooking a heavy drop from a sheer, snow-covered cliff face. Thankfully, the snow had let up, but the sky still rolled with heavy, threatening gray clouds. Vincent assumed they had a few hours before another storm hit. It would be good to make the best use of their time.

The group split into three teams of two, Vincent paired off with the soldier who had approached him earlier. They each took a direction with the orders to return within the hour to scout another area. The first search proved unsuccessful. Vincent wasn't sure what they were looking for, but he knew without a doubt they would recognize it when they saw it. Not much could go unnoticed in such a desolate, neutral landscape. The general hadn't been too keen with giving him any details, much to Vincent's chagrin.

When they had regrouped, they went further west by about a quarter of a mile before splitting again, this time into two groups of three. Vincent had noted that they didn't have much longer before the storm hit, and he'd suggested they be well on their way back to the truck before it did. The blizzard storms of the Northern Crater were violent, disruptive and unpredictable things. If they were caught in it, there was a good chance that several of them wouldn't make it back.

As he and his group winding their way across an ice-covered slope, Vincent became aware of something in the distance. Smoke? His eyes narrowed as his pupils adjusted, attempting to focus on the far whispering translucence that spiraled into the air. Steam, he decided. Curious, he led the way towards it, hearing the moment when the two accompanying soldiers could see it as well.

"Lookit that," One of them said.

"S'that steam?" The other asked.

Vincent held a hand up, calling for them to be silent. Something was...._off_, here. Old instincts, comfortable in their slumber suddenly jerked awake, screaming at him to pay attention. He froze, cocking his head to the side as he listened.

The soldiers behind him shifted, and he could hear the soft wrinkle of their clothes and the frozen huffs of air in their lungs, the faint, very faint flicker of their heartbeats. In the distance the wind howled and whistled through the ravines eerily, reminding him of just how empty and desolate this forsaken place was.

Other than that, he heard nothing. His instincts slowly settled down, and he continued forward with caution. The steam was rising behind a turn in the slope in front of them, and the closer they got the more he realized just how _large_ an amount of steam it was. Faintly, he could detect the sizzling and cracking of melting ice. His instincts hummed and vibrated, reminding him to pay attention to some unknown danger they couldn't understand yet.

As they approached the turn and passed it, the source of the popping, crackling and now _boiling_ sound was obvious. The area beyond the curve was decimated, large piles of snow pushed out and gathered around where a large, vehicle sized rock lay in the center of a miniature crater. It lay in steaming in piles of boiling water, melted from the ice were pooled around it's edge. A lot of the crystal white snow was charred black, and the entire area was positively _glittering_ with specks of purple and green dust, it filled the air, catapulting into the sky with the steam as it rose.

Vincent's red eyes narrowed thoughtfully, wondering what had happened here. He heard one of the soldiers move, and his instincts were **screaming** at him again, snarling and raging against the possibility of disturbing the tranquil silence that reigned over the area. He turned quickly as one of the soldiers lifted his communicator.

"Bravo, we hav-"

"Stop!" Vincent snarled, and then the world exploded. (2)

_**.:`'~ Legacy ~'`:.**_

It was warm. So _warmmmmm_... It exploded, expanding in the heat caused by the tiny piece of the destroyed meteor that had fallen through the atmosphere. Despite the cold snow that had gathered around it, it could feel itself growing and expanding as it explored the area around it. Instinct propelled it as it reached out and soon the entire area became coated in a fine dusting. But no matter how far it stretched there was nothing to latch onto. It was all empty and snow and ice and desolate. But that couldn't be right. There was _life_ here, somewhere. It had felt it from above. And there was so _much _ of it. There was also a faint familiarity with the planet. A long-faded scent that reminded it of itself.

And more than that, there was something here.. Something that called to it, in a sing-song voice that promised power and expansion, that promised success. It felt unfamiliar and strange and _alien_ but it wanted it. Whatever this strange, unfamiliar power was. And the power was here, not far from this location. It could feel it's power resonating through the atmosphere and beckoning it. A quiet, intense power.

Thrumming with excitement, it listened to the pulsing of hearts and lungs and the flush of blood pumping through muscles. Faintly it heard whispers of a language it could not comprehend and it waited. It waited as any predator would for the opportune moment to attack.

It didn't have to wait long. Vibrating with excitement, it held itself still. Almost there now, oh how wonderful. It could hear the hearts beating, it could hear the whispers now. Thoughts, yes. It could hear the thoughts and feel the surprise and curiosity. Come closer, it beckoned. Just a little.. There.

"Bravo, we hav-"

"Stop!"

But it was too late.

_**.:`'~ Legacy ~'`:.**_

Edge was a very.. very big city. When they had arrived, Squall had been amazed at the sheer size of the city. Towers rose high into the air, standing so tall and straight that the tops of the buildings were left hidden behind roaming gray clouds. It expanded in each direction as far as he could see. Nustle was frozen to the spot, cooing in awe as the chocobo stared at the city with wide eyes. Obviously, it had never been here either. It didn't help his spirit knowing he could actually relate to something with the damn bird.

Nanaki lead them around the large city, though, towards a smaller half of it he announced as Kalm. Not littered with the forebearing towers and buildings of Edge, Kalm reminded Squall a lot of Deling. Once in the city, they had resupplied, politely ignoring all of the stares Nanaki and his family gained from the citizens. The roads were covered with traffic and no matter where Squall looked there was always crowds of people bustling about their business. It was a very loud city, and he found himself disliking it quickly.

Thankfully, they didn't stay long. Nanaki lead them through the city with ease, giving Squall the impression he's definitely visited before and knew his way around quite well. Soon enough, the city faded into the port and the smell of salt air permeated the strong ocean breeze that greeted them as they approached the docks. Before they could go much further, however, Nanaki stopped suddenly and turned towards Saitek, walking up to his son until they stood face to face, though Nanaki stood a full shoulder taller.

Saitek had refused to give in to his father during the few days travel from Midgar's edge. He kept to himself, speaking with Squall but refusing to say anything at all to his father. Now as Nanaki pulled up to his full height, Saitek inhaled deeply and stood tall, his flame-tipped tail still in the air as he fixed his father with a stare that _dared_ him to do something.

"You won't change your mind?" Nanaki rumbled, surprising Saitek.

Wary, Saitek nodded firmly, keeping his voice strong. "No."

Nanaki looked closely into Saitek's eyes, searching. He'd had several days to come to terms with his son's newfound rebellion. Nanaki understood he wouldn't be able to keep his son from going, short of knocking him unconscious beforehand. But he also knew he'd never resort to such a barbaric thing. His son now held a power he'd never been aware that he'd always had. It was terrifying to Nanaki as a father, but he was proud.

Dipping his head, he brought a large paw over his mane and swept through it, knocking one of his hairpins free. It clattered to the dock beneath them, thumping softly as it twirled before coming to a stop. The tip of it was tied with a long white feather and it held several colorful beads.

"Take this." Nanaki said, his voice holding no room for argument.

Saitek was more than a little surprised at his father's sudden change of heart, his eyes narrowing suspiciously. Obediently he lowered his head, his heart thumping in his chest as he felt the pin latching onto his thick, red mane. It was one of his father's treasured hairpins, he called it the Limited Moon and Saitek was well aware that his father had obtained it those many years ago, when he'd fought side by side with the world's greatest heroes. (3) He also understood, quite well, what the four dangling orbs truly were and the power they contained. Saitek sucked in his breath, looking up at his father curiously.

"..Dad?"

Nanaki huffed softly, lowering his head. "I cannot force you to stay." He admitted, tail swishing lowly behind him. "Just promise me you'll come back."

Saitek held his breath, hardly able to believe he'd won so easily. He fully expected his father to carry on about it and do his best to keep him here, but this was completely unsuspected. Feeling a sudden warmth flood through him, he grinned at his dad.

"Sure thing." He said, as the tension slowly released itself from his body. Beneath those two casual words he made a promise to return, and Nanaki nodded.

"Good. I want my hairpin back when you return, also."

Saitek snorted, rolling his eyes. "Whatever."

Nanaki huffed at the obvious copycat maneuver. He turned to Squall. "Keep each other safe."

Squall nodded and Saitek walked over to his side. "Alright! This is going to be so awesome, Leon!"

Raising an eyebrow at the return of the enthusiastic cub, Squall said nothing. He'd been rather quiet the last few days of the trip, every night he was continuously plagued with that same, lucid dream. While he did his best to pay it no mind, he couldn't help being mildly frustrated at being unable to sleep properly. What _was_ that place? And why did it .. _call_ to him so much? What was there?

He was almost ready to consider the possibility that maybe he _was_ going a little crazy.

…_**..............:`' ~ Author's Notes ~'`:................**_

_1)Should I do this all caps, or no?_

_2)Oh you have no idea how tempted I was to leave this as the end of the chapter. It'd be such a great cliffhangar, don't you think? But I wanted to continue. Only to sucker punch you another one! Har har har!_

_3)I've no idea what the Limited Moon really looks like. It's a hairpin though, right?  
_  
_Wow! So much done in this chapter!  
_

_Mkay, so Saitek I realize may seem like he did a complete 360 here. Sorry. D: He was enthusiastic and excited to meet some sort of change in his life in previous chapters, and he was meant to come off as young. He still is young, but I wanted to show that he is growing and as such he's got that stubborn rebellious streak that teenagers seem to have. Think of this as a sort of coming of age side-story for 'em._

_Ugh. I really wanted to get Cloud in on this chapter, I really did. I promise he'll make his grand entrance next chapter, though. I don't care if it's fifty pages long, he'll show up for you guys. _

_This chapter was a tough cookie. It still feels a little weird to me, probably because of the fact I tried speeding things up for everyone. How did it go? Do you approve, or would you prefer me to keep them short and more thought out? Lemme know what ya'll think._

_I also realized Squall doesn't talk much. But that's normal, right? As always, please lemme know how I'm doing with my characterization. If anything about it bugs you, review and let me know so I can fix it for you._

_For everyone putting my story on alert, thank you very much! Not as awesome as reviews, but welcome nonetheless. Make note, I -do- respond to every review I get! :D The next chapter might take a few days also, I'm having a hard time working out how to get it to work right and not be stupid; there's a lot that's going to happen in the next chapter and I don't want to disappoint anyone. _

_**Fun Fact: **I originally wanted to write the phone conversation from Vincent's end, because there was a bit of a relationship I wanted to build between him and Rinoa that could be more fully explored if the scene was written from his point of view. I then decided to just do it from both ends, and ultimately scrapped Vincent's half entirely as it then just seemed redundant. _


	7. The Summon

_.:`'~ Legacy ~'`:._

_-=-=-=-=-=-_

_Show me what it's like  
To be the last one standing  
And teach me wrong from right  
And I'll show you what I can be  
Say it for me  
Say it to me  
And I'll leave this life behind me  
Say it if it's worth saving me _

_-=-=-=-=-=-_

_(Pre-Chapter Authors Note: Long chapter! I promised Cloud and I didn't stop until you got him. He's at the very end, though. And I wouldn't suggest skipping ahead, because then you won't know what's going on. :D Hope everyone likes~ Read the post-chapter A/N too, please!)_

_**Chapter Updated: 1/09/2009**  
_

**_.:`'~ Legacy ~'`:._**

Vincent was very cold. This was the first thing he became aware of, long before he ever opened his eyes. It was strange, because he wasn't _used_ to being cold. Even here in the Northern Continent he fared generally well, sometimes becoming a little chilled but never _cold._ Yet now as he slowly regained consciousness his body was aching with the freezing snow that surrounded him, several feet of it if the weight was taken into account. His muscles were also stiff, and he quickly put two and two together and surmised that he'd been unconscious for quite some time. A day or two spent beneath piles of snow and ice would freeze nearly any living thing, human or monster.

He'd spent a lot of time over his span of life attempting to decipher just what he should call himself. He hesitated to call himself human. No, that wasn't right. He _wasn't_ human, he was pretty sure. He knew this for a scientific fact. Technology has far exceeded any expectations he'd had of the future, and in this day and age all anyone would ever need is a drop of blood or a strand of hair to solve the species and race of it's origin. In Vincent's case, he found that although he was more human than anything he still wasn't quite _human_ anymore.

He'd come to accept this, though. Even rely on it throughout the years he'd been given, much too many for any single human to live through. He didn't mourn his lost mortality, truly. At first perhaps he'd regretted it and sometimes when his thoughts wandered too far he'd regret it again. But for the most part he had come to terms with his life and done with it the best he could. Still, he thought, perhaps he had become a bit too reliant on the expected. He didn't _like_ being cold, his body stiff with every movement. It was very unwelcome.

It took him about an hour to dig through the snow, though for him he had no way of knowing truly how much time had passed. His memory of what had transpired was foggy and broken, bits and pieces of a scrambled, shaken puzzle. He remembered.. an explosion. Of what he wasn't entirely too certain, though he was absolutely positive it had nothing to do with bombs, mines or rockets of any sort. It had been a natural explosion, as unbelievable as it may sound. An attack? ….Yes. An attack. But from what? The first obvious thought would be Wutai, long at war with Shinra. But Vincent knew better, or rather, his instincts knew better. It hadn't been Wutai, not by a long shot.

Breaking through the surface, Vincent heaved himself out of the snow. His body had already begun to warm and within another hour he expected to be fully recuperated from his time spent near frozen. Until then, he'd have to suffer the annoying tingling of his muscles awakening with every move.

The area surrounding him had changed from the explosion, but the most noticeable alteration would be the lack of the vehicle sized rock that had been sitting in the crater before. It now lay in chunks, scattered around in roughly a one hundred foot radius to either side. Steam no longer wafted into the air and the melted snow had already frozen over again, giving Vincent a true reason to believe he had been asleep for at least a day, though he assumed somewhere more along between a day and two. Of course, he could see nothing of the two soldiers who had accompanied him. A search proved fruitless, though he was a little disturbed when he found no bodies. A quick look at the large pile of snow they'd been buried under during the fall from the slope explained where they might be, though.

After brushing the snow off of him and assuring himself he still had Cerberus, Vincent began the trek back to the rendezvous point. Something was amiss, he felt it. And with this strange prickling sensation riding the back of his neck he was filled with a sudden, inexplicable sense of urgency. He began to run.(1)

_**.:`'~ Legacy ~'`:.**_

Squall realized they weren't kidding when they said the Northern Continent was full of monsters. Throughout the entire trip from Cosmo Canyon to Midgar, he'd been pleased to find that they had run into no trouble at all. He was used to a world full of monsters, and although this one had its own he'd been told that the numbers of monsters have dwindled over the past several hundred years, a direct result of the planet's healing. He had no idea what Nanaki had meant by that, but now he could fully appreciate the lack of monsters he'd been spoiled with before. Especially now that he was considered the main course.

No sooner then they had touched ground on the Northern Continent, figuratively speaking, had they been attacked. The monsters were strange and unfamiliar to him, nothing at all like what he'd faced back in his world. Therefore, Squall was completely relying on his well trained instincts as a fighter to carry him through the battle, learning about his enemies as he went.

For instance, the strange furry rodents that had a tendancy to pop from the ground weren't much to worry about. However, there were plenty of larger and much more difficult monsters to face on the way. They'd already dispatched several of them, and Squall was secretly pleased to see that Saitek seemed to know how to take care of himself. For the most part, the Lienliek fought quite literally tooth and claw. Because of this, Squall had been caught quite off guard when suddenly a large, red and burning fireball finally dispatched the large, red draconic creature they'd been fighting for the better part of an hour. It hadn't been a difficult battle, so much as long and drawn out. The damn thing just wouldn't go _down_.

Out of breath, Squall turned and looked incredulously at the cub, who looked back at him curiously. "What?" Saitek asked.

Squall's habit of twirling his weapon reared it's head, his blade settling on his shoulder. He looked thoughtfully at the cub. If Saitek could use magic, did he have a junction? Did it work the same way here as it did back in his own world? Squall wondered also, was he still junctioned? Closing his eyes for a brief moment, Squall searched for that telltale latch he was all too familiar with, the strange _locked_ sensation that came with having a junction. It took him a moment longer than usual but he felt it, faint and stirring awake at his discovery. Shiva, he recognized. Of course he had her, he always did. He felt something else there too, and after a moment of searching recognized it as Carbuncle. His friends would never let him live down the fact he actually liked the endearing little guardian force, that is, if they ever found out.

Opening his eyes and realizing that Saitek was still staring at him curiously, Squall shrugged a little. "I haven't seen you use magic before."

"Oh." Sai said, grinning ear to ear with a toothy expression. "My dad's hairpin has materia in it. Neat, huh?" He said, his tail waving in the air at the thought.

Materia? Squall had never heard of it, though it sounded familiar. He was pretty sure Nanaki had mentioned it in his stories, though never explaining what it was. Probably because he expected Squall to know about it. Now was a good a time as ever to sate the mild curiosity. "Materia?" Squall asked, his expert poker face coming into play as his tone sounded more disinterested than anything.

Of course, anything the SeeD asked of Sai was met with enthusiastic response, the cub more than eager to prove himself as the loyal friend he was. "Yea!" He said, "It lets us use magic. Kinda hard to find these days, though. But Dad has a bit of it left over from his old days, and the hairpin he gave me has four of 'em in there. Fire's just one of them." His toothy grin became even wider, though now it just looked a little creepy.

"Mm." Squall grunted, tapping the blade against his shoulder. So was it like a Draw point then? It wasn't stationary like Draw points, and definitely didn't look like them but.."Can I see?" He asked.

Saitek immediately walked over, proudly displaying the feathered hairpin clipped to his mane. Squall knelt down to one knee, lowering the gunblade from his shoulder and reaching out to hold the hairpin in his palm. So then the beads weren't beads at all, he realized on close inspection. Instead, they were much more vibrant and more like gems than anything. He hadn't been able to see it from before, but they actually sort of _glowed_ and _moved_ beneath the surface, swirling in a way that reminded him of a rotating galaxy.

"How do they work?" He asked, letting go of the hairpin and standing with the creak of leather.

Saitek shrugged. "You just use them. You think really hard and bam! Magic. Their colors determine what kind of materia they are, too. Which is kind of awesome." Sai grinned at the thought. "I can't believe he let me use it."

Squall's curiosity was killing him. He had to know something and the only way he was going to figure it out was by getting ahold of a materia. Hoping he didn't present himself as eager, he asked as nonchalantly as possible. "Could I try it?"

At this Saitek paused. The only reason he paused was because this was his father's most treasured hairpin, and the materia equipped to it were worth a _lot_ in this world. They were extremely rare and he had been entrusted with the hairpin to keep himself and it safely. But, he did trust Leon. "..Sure." He finally answered, "The fire spell is the first green one on the end. Just unlock the clip and pull it off."

Kneeling down again, Squall took the small green orb from the pin. It was little larger than a marble, rolling around on his palm as he stood up. Seeing Saitek looking anxiously at him, he closed his hand around it, mentally rolling his eyes at the cub's worry. It wasn't like he was going to drop it. Turning away from the large cat he took a few steps away. "I just concentrate?" He asked. First he'd try it this way, then, he'd try it _his_ way.

"Yup!" Saitek watched with a mild curiosity, inwardly pleased that he'd done something the fighter hadn't, but eager that he could provide the experience for him. "Kinda point and click. Pick a spot, aim, and fire away!"

Squall nodded, taking a deep breath as he focused on an empty area in front of him. Just concentrate, huh? He could do that. And he did. It was so surprisingly simply that he was shocked as a great ball of fire erupted from the orb, blasting through the air before exploding onto the ground he'd been aiming for. Fire erupted outwards in waves and burned the ground beneath it, leaving waves of heat rolling into the air as the spell died off.

"Whoa! Dude, awesome! Niiiiice." Saitek whistled, hopping from foot to foot."You've never used Materia before?" He asked curiously. He'd had a hard time getting it to work on his first try. The amount of concentration necessary to pull the magic into tangible form had taken a lot of practice to master. But then, this _was_ Leon. Leon was great at everything!

Squall shook his head in response. That had been new, and so easy. Now it was time to try something different. Closing his hand over the small materia again, he closed his eyes as he focused on the marble in his hand. It didn't take long before he felt it, the strange power resonating from it. A lot like the Draw points, really. It was easy to grab hold of the magic, free-flowing in the glowing materia and then _pull_ on it. The magic came out instantly, and he felt it settle within his mind uncomfortably, like his head was a few sizes too small for it. Squall winced from a sudden piercing sensation, an immediate pulse pounding audibly in his temple. It felt familiar, and he instantly recognized it as something familiar to what he felt in his dreams. Opening his eyes slowly, he looked down at his hand as his palm opened, exposing the small green orb sitting in it.

Only it wasn't glowing anymore.

"Whoa. Whoa whoa! What happened to it!?" Saitek screeched, noticing the effect immediately. He pounced forward, hopping up against Squall's leg in an attempt to look closer. "Oh no! It broke! What did you do to it?! My dad is going to KILL me!!"

Squall didn't understand the significance of the lack-lustered orb. Draw points did a similar thing, growing pale and unuseable for awhile. For him it was an expected reaction. But to Saitek, it apparently meant something else entirely. "...What happened to it?" He asked cautiously, noticing that if this was a bad thing he actually felt sort of bad for it.

"It's dead!" Saitek moaned, "You killed it! What did you doooo?!" He cried, whimpering as stared at the orb as though it's green glow would return.

Squall, a little annoyed, scowled. "No I didn't."

"But it's not glowing! That means it's dead! He's going to **kill** me! Oh man oh man oh man..!"

Sighing, and this time rolling his eyes for good measure, Squall pushed the panicking Lienliek off of him. "It's not _dead_," He said again, firmly, "It's just.. recharging."

"Oh come on!" Snapped Saitek, annoyed with the SeeD for the first time since meeting him, "How do you even know, huh? You didn't even know what materia are! Is! Whatever! And now you've killed this one and my dad is going to shave my fur off when he finds out! Ohh maaaan! I'm so **dead**!!"

Scowling angrily at the cub, Squall ignored him as he turned back to the marble in his hand. It was dull and lifeless, the swirling gone from sight. The glow had dissipated and all that was left was an empty green shell. Frowning a little, he focused on the materia again. Nothing. Nothing at all. But that was the same for Draw points. They'd empty and recharge, it was just how things worked. But this wasn't a Draw point. What if he really did kill it..?

Well, he reasoned, there was nothing he could do about it now. He still felt the spell in his mind, settling uncomfortably and shifting. Every time he focused on it the pulsing in his temples seemed to become much more prominent, so he let go of it for now.

"-just tell him the truth," Saitek was saying, mumbling to himself in a panicked tone, "Leon did it, not me. Yeah, Leon did it and aw man I can't do that! Leon, what am I going to do?!" He yowled, sounding much like the pitiful cat in an alleyway.

Squall shrugged, sliding his hand into the pocket of his coat and letting the materia drop. "Don't worry about it." He said, looking over at the Lienliek with a small amount of empathy. He felt a little bad about it, but he doubted Nanaki would yell at his son. If anything, Nanaki would be more than happy just to have Saitek back. But since Sai had insisted on accompanying Squall, that wouldn't happen until he got Rinoa.

With his mind back on track, he turned and started walking away. "C'mon." He said.

Saitek miserably began to follow him, one materia less and filled with dread. He secretly vowed never to let Leon handle his materia ever again. Stupid materia breaker.

The next few days were trying for both of the travelers. Squall's dreams had continued insistently, each dream more intense than the last. As a result of this, he was getting less sleep then normal and paired with the damn spell sitting in his head he was quite irritable. It was bothering him like a scratch he couldn't itch. He'd tried casting it at several of the monsters they'd encountered along the way in an attempt to clean it out, but no matter how much he used it it never seemed to grow any smaller or fainter in his head. It was uncomfortable and he was regretting the decision to ever draw from the damned materia.

Saitek had been caught by complete surprise when Squall had used the spell, launching a fireball at their enemies. So surprised was he that Squall had to step in and take down the monster that Sai had been battling until that point. At the end of the battle, Squall twirled his blade and set it on his shoulder like always, watching Saitek stare at him like he'd grown a second hand.

"What?" He snapped.

"..How did you.. Wha.. how did you do that?! Where's the materia?!" Saitek asked, obviously shocked.

Squall dug into his pocket, pulling the orb from where he'd left it. It was the same as it had been for the past several days, dead and dull. Saitek took one look at it and blinked at Squall repeatedly.

"But then wha.. ..how.. ..I mean....huh?!"

Any other time, he might've been amused at striking the Lienliek speechless. But given the circumstances, he was only annoyed. "What?!" He snapped again.

"You can't do that!" Saitek exclaimed.

"Why not?" Squall was insulted, and Saitek quickly tried to rectify it.

"Well I mean," The cub explained, "You gotta have materia for spells but you don't have any! How'd you use it? It's dead!"

Squall then remembered that this world didn't have guardian forces or draw points. Saitek really had no idea how he'd been able to cast the spell. "I stored it." He answered thickly, unable to think of a way to be more clear than that.

"Huh?" Was Saitek's eloquent response.

"Look, it's just how I do it, alright?" Squall said irritably, pinching the bridge of his nose gently with his free hand. "I draw magic, store it and cast it. It's how it works for me."

"But.. ...how?!" The cub was confused beyond all belief. How the heck did Leon 'store' it? It didn't make sense. He couldn't 'store' materia! There was just no way! Unless his dad never mentioned it..? But that seemed completely unbelievable. His dad always made it a point to tell his cubs everything.

Squall lowered his hand, staring at the cub for a long moment. Could he really explain it? And if he did, would Sai believe him? He could always show him, by summoning one of the guardian forces. He scowled. Too much trouble for the moment. "I'll show you later. Let's get going."

Then he turned and walked off to fetch Nustle, who'd been cowering behind a large boulder, giving the cub no chance to question him any further on it.

_**.:`'~ Legacy ~'`:.**_

Another day passed, and as the sun began to set on the horizon it left behind long shadows and a purple sky. It also left Squall and Saitek stopping for the night, setting Nustle loose and preparing to rest. Saitek moaned as he plopped helplessly to the ground, the weight of his body thumping softly on the cold frozen earth beneath him. The air was colder here, and every breath they took became visible as small puffs of steam in the air.

Squall put together the fire, doing so easily with the fire spell he'd stored. He'd lost count of how many times he'd cast the damn thing and it _still_ felt so damn uncomfortable in his head. He was beginning to suspect that it might never dwindle down, and if that were the case he was never going to Draw from a damn materia ever again.

Once the fire was going strong, Squall leaned back against the fallen trunk of an old, dead tree, stretching his legs out comfortably in front of him. Setting the gunblade in his lap, he took out a piece of clean cloth from the pack they'd brought and Nustle carried, and began to gently wipe down the edges and sides of the long, smooth blade. The quiet was comfortable, and he reveled in the rare silence while it lasted.

Saitek, exhausted from the journey, curled up close to the fire and lay his head across his arms, huffing out loud and blowing a few strands of his mane away from his face. It hadn't been clipped in weeks and was growing out long, much to his dislike. He considered keeping the front longer, though, so he could braid it behind his ears like his dad did.

"'cha doin'?" He asked, not caring how mumbled his voice sounded.

Squall shrugged, not answering the cub as he continued to rhythmically clean his beloved weapon with well practiced strokes of the cloth. It wasn't long before the blade gleamed in the firelight, and after inspecting it until he felt satisfied, Squall set the gunblade against the tree trunk with him.

A rustling sound came from the forest around him, but the notable thunk of Nustle's claws hitting the ground were easily recognizable. The Chocobo plodded into the area a moment later, not hesitating for a moment as it walked over and plopped down next to Sai. The cub scowled and growled at the bird, but Nustle paid him absolutely no mind as it settled its heavy weight and ruffled its feathers, eventually beginning to preen itself.

Annoyed, Saitek heaved his body off the ground and padded softly over to Squall, sitting next to the SeeD. Settling his weight on his back legs, he lowered himself down and folded his forepaws in front of him, flicking his tail absentmindedly. The Lienliek let loose a massive yawn filled with sharp teeth and arcing tongue, smacking his mouth shut lazily as he looked over at Squall.

"So," He began, his voice an exhausted drawl, "Where to next?"

Squall shrugged a little before reaching into the pack sitting next to him, fishing around for a moment before pulling out a small rectangular device. He tapped it twice to activate it, blue beams of energy gathering in the air roughly an inch over it's screen. The navigating device had been purchased before they'd left Kalm and had been very useful thus far in keeping them on track. It was easy to read, showing their location on the satellite view map and directing them towards their preset destination. Squall rather liked it.

"West." He murmured, dragging his finger gently through the transparent display in the air. As his finger moved the screen changed with it, the satellite view dragging across the continent.

Saitek rolled his eyes with a small huff. "Of cooouuurrse," He grumbled. "Always freakin' west. Y'know we prob'ly won't get there for like, weeks!" At the thought of it he groaned and covered his head with his oversized paws.

Squall snorted, not having to remind the cub that he'd insisted on coming.

Saitek grumbled. "Yeah yeah yeah. I know. Jeesh. Who is this lady anyways? Your girlfriend or something?"

The SeeD frowned at the cub then. "That's none of your business."

And of course Sai took this in the very direction Squall had wanted to avoid. "Uh huh, definitely girlfriend. Is she cuuuuute?" Sai cackled at the horrified look Squall gave him. "She is, isn't she?! Leon and Rinoa, sittin' inna tree~"

_Whack_.

"Ow!" Yowled Sai, shaking his large paw.

Squall withdrew the hand he'd hit Sai with, missing his head only because he'd had it covered with his paws. He couldn't resist a small smirk. "Serves you right."

Sai stuck his tongue out, grinning.

"What about you?" Squall suddenly asked, deciding to turn the tables for revenge, as well as his own comfort. His relationship with Rinoa was questionable. He cared about her, a lot. But he wasn't exactly used to deep emotions and didn't like to think about it either.

The Lienliek scoffed, shifting his weight uncomfortably. "What about me?"

Squall looked at him.

Sai shifted again, before rolling his eyes. "Pfft. Like I care about that."

"Do you?"

"No!"

".....You sure?"

"Yes!"

Squall grinned at the cub then, amused by the awkward situation he'd forced Sai into. Sai grumbled and darted his eyes around uncomfortably, then rolled his eyes again and laid his head on his paws. "Whatever. I'm going to sleep." He announced, his eyes closing with a soft huff of denial.

The small campsite became quiet then, and eventually Nustle stood and wandered over, clapping his beak in disapproval at having been ditched. He settled next to Sai once more, ruffling his feathers and shifting his weight down comfortably before he looked over at Squall. 'Kweh', he said. If Squall didn't know any better, he'd think the bird just told him goodnight.

_Great. Now I'm speaking Chocobo._ Squall shook his head, folding his arms behind head as he tilted his face towards the sky he could see from their small clearing. He had every intention of staying awake and looking out for any monsters, but the warmth of the fire lulled him and before long he was fast asleep.

_**.:`'~ Legacy ~'`:.**_

Rinoa was running as fast as her legs could carry her. Her lungs burned in her chest and she was gasping for air as she rounded a corner, nearly losing her balance.

The base was under attack. It had happened so suddenly and unexpectedly that everyone had been caught off guard. There were monsters everywhere. The strange part was they weren't killing everyone; they were taking a lot of the soldiers and base personnel alive, dragging them off kicking, screaming and sometimes mortally injured. She'd never seen monsters like these before, and either this world didn't know monsters very well or the soldiers here had never seen them as well.

Behind her she could hear the scrabbling of claws and talons on the metal floor and the harsh growling and snarling and snapping that was following her. It had first been one monster, then two, then three.. And now she had absolutely no idea how many of them were. She was terrified. She couldn't run much longer and she didn't know what to do. Her eyes burned and she gasped for air, blinking her eyes rapidly to clear them as she came to another corner.

Her feet slid as she rounded it and she stumbled, catching hold of a door handle next to her as she jerked it open. Leaping into the stairwell, Rinoa began climbing the stairs as quickly as she could, sometimes two or three at a time if she heard a loud enough snarl behind her. The monsters followed quickly, though she felt a small sense of satisfaction when she heard some of them fall backwards in their chase.

She wasn't sure of how many floors she went through, but the stairs ended with two more corners and she flung the door open. Slamming it shut behind her and locking the large, foot long steel bolt into place Rinoa fell away from the door, stumbling before her legs gave out on her. She gasped for air, gulping greedily as her limbs trembled beneath her weight, crouched on all floors on the cement roof of the building. All around her she could hear explosions and gunfire, human and inhuman screams alike echoing through the cold, snowy air. Flurries fell around her, peacefully neutral in the chaos.

The metal door behind her slammed loudly, and she yelped. "No!" Forcing her limbs to get her going, she stood quickly and ran to the far side of the roof as the door continued to thud and groan against the assault on the other side. Like a clock ticking down the time she had left, Rinoa hated that metronome of clawing and hitting, gritting her teeth as she stared over the seven floors of air beneath her. _Oh come on!_

She'd been running for _so long_. It hadn't taken long for the monsters to spread out into the base, and she'd quickly been cornered by them. Soldiers had come, blasting their way through and giving her a chance to run and she'd taken it, panicked. Now she had no idea where she was and whether or not anyone would come to help her. From the carnage laid out before her she couldn't help but feel a little pessimistic about the possibility.

The door clanged and broke open, blasting from its hinges forcefully. Rinoa flinched and whirled around as the metal door flew by her, sailing another hundred feet through the air before succumbing to gravity. Monsters poured out of the stairwell, of all shapes and sizes. Claws and tentacles and wings and.. ...and soldiers? Rinoa blinked, staring as several soldiers walked out with them. What..? She shuddered as she watched them stand amongst the parade of monsters, hefting their rifles before pointing the business ends towards her. Rinoa choked on her breath in shock. The entire brigade surrounded her on all sides, forming a semi-circle of monsters and humans alike. When she looked closely enough, she was horrified to realize that several of the monsters appeared to be nothing more than mutated humans.

Lifting a hand to her mouth she stifled a scream. So that's what they'd been taking the soldiers for? Turning them into _monsters_? And now what happened? She was trapped between them and a fall that would surely kill her. Were they going to take her as well? She didn't want to be a monster!

"At ease." A booming voice declared. The soldiers lowered their weapons and stood at attention, and the monsters became silent except for ragged breathing and flapping wings.

"There you are. You're an elusive creature, aren't you?" The voice said again, and as the throng of monsters parted General Canon stepped through the mass, smiling at her pleasantly. She'd met him just once when Vincent had brought them here. He seemed like a pretty good guy, definitely military but pleasant enough as long as he wasn't talking military.

Rinoa struggled to find her voice, keeping as far away from the monsters as possible. Unfortunately, any more shuffling backwards and she might fall over the short stone wall that lined the edge of the roof.

"Careful," He said, "Don't want you to fall off." He grinned then, and Rinoa shuddered at the strangely _predatory_ look in his eyes. ...And his eyes. What _happened_ to them? She could've sworn they had been blue before, a dark hazy blue that bordered on gray. But now.. now they were a vibrant shade of purple and.. and _catlike_.

"Wh...What's going on?" She asked, unable to keep her voice from shaking. Mentally she kicked herself. Be stronger, Rinoa! You're a freaking _sorceress_ for crying out loud!

She hadn't resorted to that. At any time she could've cast spells and flung magic at the monsters, but she was afraid of those powers. They were strange, unfamiliar and alien to her. She didn't know if she could properly control them. Rinoa wasn't exactly proud to have them, especially after everything she and her friends had been through.

"Nothing you need to worry about, dear." The general murmured, watching her closely. "Soon you won't care either way." He grinned then, a malicious and _evil_ expression that made her blood run cold flashing over his face.

Rinoa realized there was no salvation here. The monsters and soldiers and the general were all in it together. Whatever it was had gotten to all of them, turning them into monsters and mindless slaves. It was terrifying, because now she understood why she wasn't dead yet.

"No!" She yelled, glaring at him. "You stay away from me!" She was scared beyond belief, but she wasn't going to go down with a fight. Screw them, she thought. She'd rather be dead than a monster and all it would take is a step back. But a last resort, she thought. She had to try to stay alive, for herself. Squall would never forgive her otherwise. Where was he? Where was Vincent? What had happened?

Get them to talk, she thought. Keep them talking, stall for time.

"Who are you? What are you? Why are you doing this?!" She asked, throwing the questions out one right at another and vaguely hoping they'd turn tangible and smack him in the head.

The general appeared well at ease, relaxing his stance in a way that was absolutely _not_ military. His alien eyes looked out at her with a detached interest, and by his tone of voice he was obviously only answering to amuse her. "Robert Canon. Never married, no living relatives and no children. My favorite food is baked italian chicken, and I live for my career. I'm a General." He replied, but then his voice took a sharp edge and he grinned that grin at her again, the one that sent shivers up her spine. "This is happening because it is, quite simply, what I do."

And then he _cackled_. It was such a strange and expected action that it caught Rinoa off guard, causing her to shake horribly.

How could the general do this? To his own men? To her?! What was _wrong_ with him?! Didn't anyone else notice this before it got out of control? Suddenly she recalled how the general had asked Vincent away shortly after they got here, and she couldn't help but ask.

"Is this why you sent Vincent away? Why now?" She really hoped this hadn't started because of her. If it was, she had no idea _why_. It wasn't like they knew who she was!

The general snorted. "Vincent?" He was quiet for a moment, then he grinned and shook his head. "That man had nothing to do with it. Though it was quite convenient timing."

"What about me?"

"You?" His grin widened and his purple eyes flashed. "You had everything to do with it."

Rinoa's eyes widened, and then it seemed the momentary truce ended. The soldiers lifted their weapons at her again as the general stepped forward. "Now, stay still, dear. This won't take long, and when it's over, you won't have to worry about a thing." His voice was cold and commanding, and the look in his eyes was positively malicious.

"Stay away!" She yelled, shifting back again but unable to go any further as the short stone railing pressed against her thighs. She had to make a choice, _now_. Either she wallop into him with the abilities given to her as a sorceress, or she falls off the roof. The alternative wasn't an option.

A monster near her lurched forward, it's long scissor like claws snapping in the air. Rinoa jumped away, loosing her footing as she fell backwards. Her back hit the edge of the stone wall and the next thing she knew she was free falling through the air. Thousands of thoughts raced through her head as she plummeted, and the most dominant concern was Squall and what would happen to him when he found out.

Rinoa screamed when talons latched onto her legs, tearing through her skin as her body lurched in midair painfully. Her breath caught in her lungs and she temporarily lost air, grunting as she was thrown the sky. Vertigo was lost and she had no idea which way she was going, whether it be up or down or even sideways. Another beast quickly latched onto her, and she heard the hard thunderous clap of wings as its claws grabbed her around her waist. Rinoa howled with pain when the edges of its ragged talons tore into her stomach and back, and the next thing she knew she was deposited rather heavily onto a very hard and unwelcoming cement floor.

Pain shot through her body. She wondered briefly if anything was broken, unable to move as she lay gasping for air with her vision swimming in front of her. Everything was so _blurry_. Where was she? Did she hit the ground..?

Slowly, her vision came back to her, and she whimpered as she realized she was back on the rooftop, surrounded by monsters. The general stood just a few feet from her, quickly kneeling down next to her and brushing her hair from her face. Rinoa tossed her head, trying to get away from him but pain exploded in her body and she cried out, unable to move.

"Ssh." He cooed, almost lovingly. "Poor, pathetic human. So frail. I'll make it better."

Pain exploded in her head and Rinoa's voice tore through her throat as she screamed, everything around her disappearing into shades of black and vicious, dominating violet.

_**.:`'~ Legacy ~'`:.**_

It was that dream again. Once more, Squall found himself in the strange glowing forest, the trees around him completely still despite the soft breeze he felt brushing across his brow. He frowned a little, something was off. What was he doing here again?

Liquid ice brushed over his mind, gently steering him as he shuffled through the trees. Oh. That's right. He was looking for something. It was close by, he could feel it's location resonating to him. He had to find it. There was absolutely no question about it, he would not leave until he found it. In the other dreams, he always had a sort of sense of duty here, but it was only now that he understood what it was. Why he was here. It felt completely obvious now that he thought about, when before he hadn't the slightest idea.

His body moved robotically, each step a lurch in the right direction and his eyes glazed over. He couldn't concentrate on the throbbing pulse, if he did he lost it. It was an elusive thing, and it was much easier to wait for the strands of ice and green to probe his mind and direct him painfully in the right direction. Everytime he felt it a sharp, stinging sensation filled his senses. It was very unpleasant, vicious even. Whatever it was wanted him to hurry, and he could feel himself growing excited along with the strange presence as he neared even closer to his goal. He couldn't help but think that whatever it was had been waiting a long time for this.

In front of him, a giant _seashell?_ Stood over a small pool of water, surrounded by the deep black and green liquid. It swirled before him and he stopped, unable to keep from staring into it. It was absolutely mesmerizing. He noticed the pain was gone, the strange feeling of talons gripping into his mind dissipating with every step closer to the pool of water. With it there was a sense of clarity and he shook his head briefly to clear his thoughts. What _was_ this place?

"Leon?" An echo called.

Squall stopped at the water's edge, squinting as he looked into the brightly luminescent seashell towering over him. His eyes trailed downwards until he was staring into the pool at his feet, green and black swirling amidst each other in a strange dance. Kneeling closer to the surface and reaching into the water he fished his hand around, grimacing at the slimy texture that met his fingers.

"Leon, what're you doing?" The echo called again, stronger now.

His fingers brushed across something round, gently uprooting it from its resting place. Squall grunted, up to his shoulder in the murky liquid with his fingers clawing for the object. Eventually hooking into it, he pulled the round, smooth object from the water. Kneeling back away from the pond as he opened his hand, he regarded the softball sized object curiously. It was covered in dark green and black slime, but a few brush of his fingers wiped it away to expose a smooth, dull surface.

"Where are we?" That voice again, a little frightened. Squall heard it this time, shaking his head as he looked up. His eyes squinted as the world around him blurred, vision pulsing in time with the sudden pounding in his head. Squall grimaced, reaching up with his free hand to touch his temple. The pain lasted only a moment before fading away into the recesses of his mind, and he felt.. _smug_. That too, quickly left.

When his eyes focused again, he spotted Saitek standing a few feet away from him, looking at him with concern. "Leon?" The Lienliek asked, shifting his weight uncomfortably. "What is this place?"

Squall frowned at him, wondering if he was still dreaming. He felt very disoriented, and it must've shown because Sai stepped closer again, butting his shoulder with his head roughly.

"Hey, you there?" The cub asked.

Squall didn't answer for a long moment, hand closing protectively around the object in his palm.

"....Sai?" He asked quietly, hesitantly.

The Lienliek nodded, sounding relieved. "Yeah! What're you doing here, Leon? ...I woke up and you were gone. We followed you."

We? Squall frowned, then immediately scowled as Nustle chirped from a distance where the Chocobo was anxiously shifting foot to foot.

_Stupid bird.._

"Are you alright?"

Squall focused back on Sai, shaking his head. "I think so."

"What're we doing here?" The cub asked again. Something was wrong with Leon, he knew it. His friend looked confused and dazed. It was weird, because Leon was never confused or dazed. Leon was too awesome for that. When he'd woken up to find him gone, Sai had been panicked. Thankfully, Leon didn't move very fast. He sort of shuffled here, really. No matter what the cub could say the warrior didn't seem to hear him at all. He was glad that Leon finally seemed to snap out of it.

"I.." Squall began, his voice trailing. "...Think I was looking for something." He looked down at his hand again, and Sai seemed to notice the object for the first time.

"What's that?" The cub asked curiously, sniffing in its direction and making a face. It smelled minty.

"I don't know." Squall admitted, murmuring absentmindedly. He still felt very odd and detached, like he was still dreaming somehow. Shaking his head, he focused on the orb as he cleaned the rest of the slime off. The orb, once cleaned, was dull and amber. It fit into his palm snugly, and his fingers just barely wrapped around it. Squall opened his hand a little to show the cub, who took an immediate interest.

"Whoa, wait a second. Lemme see that!"

Saitek stepped closer, his eyes widening as he stared at the orb in Leon's hand. "Dude! That's a materia!"

Squall raised an eyebrow as he looked at it. It wasn't one he'd seen before. Saitek, he knew, had green and blue materia, with a single yellow one. He'd been told their color signified their capability. But he hadn't been told about an amber materia before.

"I think it used to be a red materia."

Squall looked at him.

"You know," The cub explained, his tail whipping in excitement, "A summon materia!"

"A summon materia?" Squall murmured, frowning as he shook his head again. Ugh. Everything was so.. stuffy.

"Yea, you know! They're really powerful, but all gone I don't think there's any left." Saitek said, nudging the small orb with his nose. "Too bad it's dead. It'd be so cool to see!"

Summon materia, huh? Squall lifted the orb, inspecting it closely. It had at one point undoubtedly been a red. Though now it was dark and dull in color, dead looking. It was gorgeous nonetheless, though, glistening with an amber heart that glowed when he held it up to inspect it in the light of the trees.

Squall shook his head, pulling himself up and standing. He slid the orb into his pocket with the other one, looking over at Sai and Nustle. "Alright, let's go."

_**.:`'~ Legacy ~'`:.**_

One down. Two more to go. She smiled to herself, her hand lingering on the skull of a large, reptilian creature sitting obediently by her side. Lifting her other hand, her dark violet eyes watched as lightning danced between her fingers. This body was much more frail than the general's, but filled with so much more power. She didn't understand why the girl hadn't used it against her, but didn't bother concerning herself with it. It was hers now, she thought with a giggle.

The human base had been completely overrun, it had been surprisingly easy. It was unfortunate that a lot of it was destroyed, it would be much harder to keep this world in the dark now. Oh well. She never enjoyed doing things discreetly, anyways. Flash and flair was so much more her _style_. Everyone here was with her, now. The fighting had ended and her army of monsters had grown exponentially. This was a little gem of life in this practically lifeless land, and she counted herself so lucky to have it. Truly, this planet was worth the effort.

Gunshots caught her ears and she scowled as a vision immediately opened in front of her eyes. Her monsters being attacked, soldiers killed before they even had a chance. Who was it? She could've _sworn_ she'd gotten everyone.. The vision changed as her perspective switched angles, and she could make out a ripple of bright crimson on the snowy backdrop, the sound of a lone man's gunfire filling the air before the hosted body fell lifeless to the ground.

_Vincent._ She thought with a wide grin. So, he wasn't dead, huh? She would've thought the cold would've killed him. If he hadn't been buried beneath so much snow, she would've loved to have taken him instead of that stupid soldier. Oh well, beggars can't be choosers. She was curious as to how he got free so quickly, and for that matter why he was still alive. These human bodies were surprisingly delicate and easily stressed with sudden changes in temperature. Surely he should've frozen by now?

Standing, she began to make her way outside to the commotion. She wanted to see this for herself. Quietly she called off the army, though his gunshots continued firing for several moments afterwards. He was a smart human, she mused, as the fire stopped. He wanted to know why he wasn't being attacked, she could guess. Well, he was about to find out.

Her body lifted over the ground, hovering an inch or two above the snow-covered cement as she whisked through the air towards his location. It didn't take long, and as she approached she could feel his eyes on her. She purred with satisfaction when she felt his alarm rippling through the air.

"Hello Vincent!" She chirped happily, grinning widely at him before touching the ground again.

His red eyes were locked on her, though is gun was aimed at some other monster. Lifting a hand, she wiggled her fingers. "I said heeelloo~" She sang.

"....Rinoa?" His deep voice broke through the air and she giggled.

"Kinda! Whatcha doin'?" She sounded much too cheerful, she guessed, when he turned the gun and aimed it at her instead. She pouted at him.

"Who are you?" He asked, his voice cold now. He was a very intuitive human, she guessed.

Rolling her eyes, she sighed. "Duh. I'm Rinoa, silly. You know me!"

Three gunshots cracked through the air, and Rinoa frowned as she looked down to see three different spots of red liquid begin to spread out from her chest. "...Oh crud." She whimpered, her eyes rolling in the back of her head as she collapsed to the ground.

Silence reigned for several moments. The monsters surrounding the area didn't move an inch, and the human soldiers kept their weapons trained on Vincent. He didn't move at all, watching a pool of crimson spread out from beneath Rinoa's fallen body. Even when her chest stopped moving, he kept the weapon trained on her. Keeping the monsters on alert through his peripheral vision, Vincent slowly walked over to her, unwilling to trust the ease of the fatality.

The moment he got close enough she lashed out with her arm towards his legs. Vincent leapt back quickly, gracefully landing several meters away with Cerberus still locked onto her.

Rinoa slowly stood, laughing. "You should've seen your face!" She crowed, holding her stomach as her laughter spilled into the air. "Oh man," She sighed, "This is great. I really like this place. Maybe I won't destroy it once I'm done, y'know? Hmm.." Tapping her chin thoughtfully, she turned in a slow circle as she surveyed the area.

Vincent's eyes narrowed. He didn't know what had occurred since his absence, but he inwardly cursed himself for being unable to stop it. This person _looked_ like Rinoa and sounded like her, even moved like her. But it _wasn't_ Rinoa. Not by a long shot.

"Who are you?" He asked as she continued murmuring to herself.

Rinoa turned towards him, rolling her eyes as she set her hands on her hips. "Who am I? Rinoa, obviously. Duh."

Vincent hated that word. "No, you are not." His voice was frozen.

She sighed. "Yes I am. Well, sort of." Now she grinned impishly at him, acting like a child with their hand in a cookie jar. "I mean, I am now."

"Who were you before?"

"General Canon," She chirped, rolling her weight on her heels as she clasped her hands behind her back.

The both of them knew where this was going, and Vincent hated playing along.

"Before that?"

To this she saluted. "Corporal James Anderson!"

"And then?"

Rinoa smiled at him, shrugging carelessly. "Iunno what you would call it."

"Where did you come from? Why are you here?" Vincent narrowed his eyes thoughtfully with an intuitive suspicion.

She grinned at him, covering her mouth with a hand as she pointed up. "Spppaaaace~" She whispered, wiggling her fingers mischievously. Then she sniffed, sounding more than a little miffed. "And I'm here because you dorks shot me down."

Space, huh? Vincent thought, slowly connecting pieces of an invisible puzzle. The rock from the crater up north.. The explosion. Now Shinra's largest military base, all under the control of.. whatever this was. From space. An alien, then? An alien from space.. the northern crater.. His eyes widened.

"Hmmmm? I can't read your mind you know."

Vincent gave no warning. He fired at her, multiple shots booming into the air as movement exploded around him. He didn't have a chance to see if he'd hit her or not when something slammed into his side, knocking him off his feet. Vincent tumbled beneath the weight of the monster, grimacing as he shoved it off and flipped into the air to break some ground between him and the others. The moment he landed, though, he was rushed by a frenzy of monsters. Quickly he launched himself forwards, tumbling low to the ground as gunfire riddled the air and sparked against the ground just after him.

He was met with the snarling muzzle of a canine monster when he came out of the tumble. He didn't hesitate to break it's neck, his hands swiftly grasping it's head and twisting sharply with a crunch of bone. The monster collapsed and Vincent jumped over it, firing off several rounds into the body of a golem that thundered towards him. It's knees buckled and it crumbled to the ground just as a shadow moved swiftly in the corner of his eye. Vincent leapt upwards, barely avoiding the weight of a large, dark and unknown monster that had charged him. In the air, he shot off several more shots, each one clean and precise and bringing down a monster every time.

The moment he touched ground he was in the air again, reloading Cerberus as his eyes scanned the mass for blue. There she was in the distance, scowling and stomping her foot, throwing him childish glares. She was far, but he could still hit her. Bringing Cerberus up he aimed and fired off several rounds, nine bullets whistling through the air. None of them hit, of course, he hadn't really expected them to. Instead, monsters leaped in the way and took the bullets for her, gleefully giving their lives for the whole.

"Would you knock it off already?!" He heard her scream, and the attack suddenly stopped. The monsters that had been chasing him screeched to a halt with an almost comical sound of talons and paws scraping on the snowy, slippery ground. Gunshots echoed into the distance as the remaining human soldiers lowered their weapons. Vincent stood where he landed, his weapon trained on the figure in blue stomping her way towards him. He fired off another round.

Rinoa lifted her arm, swatting at the bullets as though they were no more than flies. They sparked on contact and darted off in another direction, one of them managing to embed itself into the skull of a large draconic monster that fell with a heavy, dead thud. She stopped several meters away from him, ignoring the gun he aimed towards her. "You know, you're reaaaaally killing my feel good vibe here. It's not a good thing!" She scowled at him, folding her arms stubbornly.

"I'm going to give you a choice. Either you stop fussing and join the crowd, or you die. Alright? I've got a lot of stuff left to do and you're really cramping my style with your stupid ballet dancing!"

Vincent wondered if this normal behavior for her. She was acting so.. immaturely. His eyes narrowed at that. He decided to try a new tactic.

"You can't stay here," He said firmly, attempting to reason with her.

"Why not?" Rinoa huffed.

"This isn't your planet."

"It will be soon."

"You can't have it."

"Yes I can!" Rinoa scowled at him again, an ugly expression if he ever saw one. "You were the dumbasses who shot me down, so I'm taking it." She didn't mention the fact she'd been planning on it anyways.

Shot her down? Vincent wondered what she meant by that. He was aware of the fact Shinra had several satellites in orbit over the planet. Mostly for reconnaissance and communications, thought everyone speculated behind their more hostile design. Shinra explained that they'd been equipped with lasers to shoot away space debris that got too close to them, arguing that the satellites were expensive to produce. Could that have been the case here? If it was, it was very infuriating.

He focused on Rinoa again, noticing her watching him with a curious look. "You're not gonna give in, are you?" She asked, her voice musing and thoughtful.

Vincent said nothing.

She sighed softly. "Fine then. Your funeral."

The ground began to rumble. The buildings around them groaned and shook as the earth trembled beneath the weight of something heavy. When Vincent looked back, Rinoa was gone. The monsters surrounding him all turned and moved away, whether they be crawling, flying or oozing. Vincent took the moment to reload Cerberus until the earth splintered beneath him as a large crack burst through the snow and cement. Vincent leapt back just in time to avoid a large, thick and black tentacle that whipped through the crack, latching onto the ground next to it. Another joined it, and a third.

Slowly, the large monster emerged from the ground. There was no accurate way to describe it as it oozed from the crack, splitting the earth wide. It was a mass of limbs and tentacles, claws and pincers and _eyes_ everywhere. The monster was huge, three stories of it towering over Vincent. There were no decipherable front, back or even side ends to it. Slowly, with its limbs and tentacles flailing into the air it began to split in half, opening from the middle area and expanding up and down until Vincent noticed that it wasn't splitting at all. That was it's _mouth_. Full of miniature rows of thousands and thousands of sharpened, tiny teeth, with black pus and the smell of sulfur oozing from its maw as it roared a deep, bellowing, earth shattering sound that exploded into pain in Vincent's head.

_**.:`'~ Legacy ~'`:.**_

Squall and Saitek had made good time. From the strange, glowing forest they had traveled hard and fast to the West, only stopping when attacked by a monster. It wasn't long before the navigational unit announced they were mere miles from their destination.

Squall felt his heart thud achingly in his chest. He was almost there. Caught in the high of that elated sensation, he vowed to grab Rinoa and never let go when he saw her. He'd hold her tightly and tell her how much he'd missed her and that he never wanted to be away from her again. Never. Squall liked the sound of that, a smile breaking onto his face. He didn't worry about anyone seeing it, knowing Saitek was too busy running and the damn bird didn't seem to ever be paying attention.

Suddenly the Lienliek stopped, and Nustle attempted to stop just as quickly, though the combined weight of it and its rider sent it tumbling forward a few more steps anyways. Lifting his head to the air, Saitek took a deep breath and huffed, scrunching his nose. "What is that _smell_?" He asked.

Squall looked over at him, sniffing the air lightly. He didn't smell anything.

Taking another whiff, the cub frowned in a very put upon expression. "..It smells like.. ..I don't know.. fire? Kinda.. Like.. Uhhmm.. A volcano!" He chirped, proud that he'd been able to find a suitable reference.

"A volcano?" Squall asked. He didn't think there was one around here.

"Yea. S'weird. Cuz there aren't any up here." Saitek hummed thoughtfully.

Squall tried to ignore the uneasy feeling attempting to drag him down. He frowned at the Lienliek briefly, shifting his weight in the saddle on the Chocobo. "Let's go." He said. Saitek nodded and the group was off again, tearing through the tundra at a breakneck pace.

It seemed to take much longer than it should have to clear the last few miles. By then, Squall had them running at a pace that left both the Lienliek and the Chocobo gasping for breath. He felt a little bad about it, especially considering he was getting the sweet end of the stick, but that sense of unease had only grown. Now it was screaming at him. Something was wrong. He didn't know what it was, but every instinct trained into him as a fighter was telling him that something was definitely wrong.

As they approached the last rise of the last hill in front them, they could see black smoke rising into the air. The sounds of something gross and inhuman reached their ears, followed by the sharp crack of gunfire. Squall could smell what Saitek had been talking about earlier, and he identified it as sulfur. The area reeked of it.

_No._ He snarled inwardly, kicking the poor abused bird roughly. Nustle gave a squawk of protest and pain, leaping over the last rise in the hill and bounding down the snow as fast as his chocobo legs could carry him. Saitek's four-footed gait sped up behind them, his heavy breath rasping in the air.

As soon as he caught sight of the demolished base Squall felt his heart plummet into his gut in agony. His breath was thick in his throat and his eyes became blinded with emotion. The entire area was absolutely destroyed. Buildings barely lay standing, black billowing smoke rose into the air and the scent of death lay heavily like a fog over everything.

_No!_

Squall leapt off of the bird as soon as they cleared the outer rim of the base. He didn't miss a step, immediately breaking into a full out run as he raced across the broken and charred ground towards the sound of battle. He couldn't hear anything but the roaring of something inhuman and the sound of gunfire, the blood rushing into his ears. As he rounded the corner of a large building, he stumbled to a frozen stop, staring at the scene before him.

It was a monster he'd never seen before. Large and oozing with pus and acid from bullet wounds, the creature's long, thick tentacles sliced through the air after a moving blur of red. It's enormous gaping maw was open, and thousands of crystal shard teeth were gyrating and vibrating against one another, creating a horrible grating sound. The monster was absolutely huge. Did it do all of this? Where was Rinoa?!

"Wha...what is...what is...that.." Squall heard Saitek pant as the Lienliek caught up, breathing heavily as he stared open-mouthed at the monster. A large single sickle of bone whipped through the air, barely missing another blur of red as it sped by it. It was tiny in comparison, man-sized, and far too quick for Squall to be able to see just who or what it really was.

Saitek, however, seemed to recognize it immediately. "Vincent!" Howled the Lienliek as he growled in his chest, immediately leaping forward into battle. He leapt into the air as a dark red ball of fur, latching onto one of the three long tentacles and ripping into the soft flesh with teeth and claws, snarling furiously.

Squall recognized the name. Vincent. He was supposed to be watching Rinoa. His eyes narrowed and he yanked the gunblade from his backside, just as a long, tri-jointed arm lashed out towards him. Squall leapt backwards out of the way, rushing in quickly with his weapon raised. He brought it down as the blade sliced into the flesh of the arm, easily hacking the last of the three joints free from the rest of the body. Black liquid shot out from the wound, splattering across the cracked, snow-covered ground. Although mutilated, the arm swept back again quickly and Squall avoided the blow by ducking under it, standing quickly as it swept overhead and bringing his gunblade into an upwards slash, hacking the second of the joints off. Now it was just a stub that flailed wildly as it recoiled back to the mass of the monster. Squall followed it.

Saitek ripped across the flesh of the thick tentacle, as thick as he was. He tore into it with his claws and teeth, growling ferociously as he felt the flesh give way and rip beneath his assault. The tentacle waved powerfully through the air, whipping up and down in an attempt to dislodge him. The cub kept a steady grip though, only letting go when something hard impacted with his backside. The Lienliek grunted as the breath was knocked out of him, and with a single powerful flick the tentacle sent him flying across the battlefield.

He felt something else hit him, an arm wrapping around his torso as the sound of gunfire shot loud in his ear. "What are you doing here?" A deep, familiar, and slightly out of breath voice asked. Saitek realized he'd been caught midair by Vincent, and when the man landed on the edge of a ruined building he quickly set the him down.

Saitek shook his head to regain his bearings, looking up at Vincent. "I came with Leon. What is this thing? What happened?!"

Leon? Squall. Vincent caught a flash of metal through the air, reloading Cerberus while he had a moment and firing away at a tentacle as it swung towards them. It recoiled immediately, thrashing furiously in the air. They had gotten here quickly, a lot sooner than expected. "Be careful." He told Saitek, wondering briefly why on Gaea Nanaki would've allowed his cub to travel through the Northern Continent.

With that said, Vincent leaped back into battle. He'd been fighting the monster ever since it had appeared over an hour ago. With every shot he made certain to hit something vital, and it had actually lost quite a few limbs this way, as well as several of its dozens of large, round and solid black eyes. He'd thrown a few spells at it as well, though he much preferred using Cerberus.

One of the remaining tentacles swiped through the air at him, and the ex-Turk used it as leverage, touching briefly down on it before he was airborne again, hovering for an instant while he fired three more rounds into the giant, gaping maw. The bullets pelted into the soft flesh there, one of them bouncing off in another direction when it hit one of the sharpened teeth. He didn't even chip it. As he reloaded again, he took a moment to glance downwards and spotted the telltale glint of metal throughout the writhing mass of limbs and smaller tentacles. He'd known Squall was a fighter from the stories Rinoa told him, but the weapon, what he could make of it, seemed more intricate than a regular sword. He was grateful that the boy seemed to know how to use it and lived up to the reputation that proceeded him.

Squall leapt back free and clear of a slashing claw, swinging his gunblade outwards and holding it to his side. He took a deep breath, putting a palm against his forehead as he _pulled_ on the spell in his mind. The moment he felt the spell click he held his hand out, palm facing the monster as a furnace of flame and heat blasted outwards. The large fireball launched through the air until it exploded against the side of the monster, whose deep and thunderous responding roar caused the ground to shake beneath his feet.

Squall struggled to keep his balance as the ground shook beneath him, bringing his weapon up just in time to deflect a swipe from bony talon as long as he was. He grit his teeth as it pressed against the blade, shoving him backwards a few feet. There was a blur of red from the corner of his eye, and suddenly Saitek launched through the air, pouncing onto the thick, bulbous limb the talon protruded from as a single extension. His teeth and claws ripped into the skin and he pulled, tearing a large chunk of flesh away with him when he pushed himself off and through the air. The Lienliek flipped in the jump, landing expertly on all four paws. He spit out the piece of black, oozing flesh, making a sour face.

"Oh, yuck!"

"Watch out!" Squall shouted.

Saitek looked up just in time to see a large, black tentacle slamming down towards him. He leapt out of the way quickly, sliding along the ground with his momentum as he turned back towards it. Snarling loudly, the Lienliek leaped back into the fray, howling a challenge to the great mass.

Squall had other plans. No matter how many times he slashed and shot into the massive monster it never seemed to ebb, every limb replaced with two more. It was tiresome and he could already predict there was a good chance they would run out of stamina far before it had finished. Deciding it was time to bring out the big guns, he brought his hand up to his forehead again. It was something he always did before casting a spell, the movement helping him to focus and concentrate before summoning.

_Shiva, I need you._ He called, and he could hear a faint reply as she awoke.

The air became much colder suddenly, a feat of its own in the frozen tundra. From the sky four balls of white light spiraled down, trailing soft comets in their wake as they collided with the earth below. The location of impact rippled as frozen steam rushed outwards, freezing the very ground into white ice as it passed. From this frozen diameter there arose a large, transparent blue icicle that stood taller than any man. Swirls of white air gathered around it, and encased within the ice was none other than Shiva herself.

Her head was lowered and her arms crossed over her chest. She appeared peaceful, sleeping. But the guardian force had been summoned for a reason. Her bright blue eyes suddenly snapped open as she tossed her head, breaking the thick ice that encased her with graceful ease. Shards of ice sprinkled through the air, twinkling as brightly as the stars themselves. Pulling her hands together as she arched them over her head, a bright white energy began to gather on her fingertips. The sound of crackling ice became sharp and clear, and just when it the light and blue rings became too bright to look at she thrust her arms fore-wards, sending a large cylindrical sphere of frozen energy at the monster.

The beast roared loudly as the attack struck, freezing it to the very ground. Large shards of ice erupted from the ground around it, piercing through it's black, oozing body. It's limbs flailed and it shriveled from the touch, parts of it freezing over completely. The ice continued to grow, arching over the giant beast until it encased it completely within a frozen prison, much like Shiva had looked when she'd appeared. As the ice thickened, the monster's movements slowed to a stop, and when Shiva slowly began to fade away, satisfied at a job well done, the monster had been completely encased in a large block of thick ice.

Squall lowered his arm when he felt Shiva's energy fade, opening his eyes and looking at the destruction she had brought. The large monster was frozen and unmoving, but it was too soon to congratulate themselves. He looked quickly left and right, finding Saitek standing far off to the side with a shocked expression. Before he could walk over to make certain the Lienliek was alright, however, Vincent landed on the ground in front of him.

His red cloak swirled around his legs and gave him a very intimidating appearance, Vincent regarding Squall with a very cautious look. "A summon?" He asked, his voice sounded even deeper than it had been on the phone.

Squall glared the man."Where is Rinoa?!" He demanded, refusing to be intimidated by the intense look he received.

Vincent didn't have a chance to answer, a loud cracking sound echoing through the air. All three of them turned towards the monster, watching with dread as spider-like cracks snaked their way through the ice. More snapping and popping echoed around them, and then without warning the entire thing _broke_. Large shards of ice went slicing through the air, forcing all three of them to duck or dodge out of the way before becoming impaled. By the time they looked back up again the monster had freed itself, opening it's giant maw and bellowing out another thunderous roar with a fresh set of new tentacles and limbs.

Squall cursed under his breath, Vincent already back in the air and firing more rounds. He could hear something crackling in the wind, then a loud blast of electrical energy shot out towards the monster from his far right. A quick glance confirmed that Saitek had used another one of his materia, though the Lienliek followed it right after and latched onto another flailing tentacle.

Squall was enraged from the lack of response that came from Vincent. He couldn't fully blame the man because the monster _had_ interrupted and wasn't exactly a thing they could ignore. But it didn't stop him from trying to blame the man regardless. He decided to put his anger to better use and charged back into battle, swinging the gunblade left and right to clear a way to through the writhing mass.

They fought for what seemed like hours. All three of them making up for each other's weaknesses, launching spells and bullets and slicing through flesh as another ripped it. But it seemed no matter how many times it looked like they might be winning, the monster suddenly had another limb to attack with or a new set of eyes. It never seemed to tire, and if anything the damned thing looked even _bigger_ than what it had been before.

The last Squall saw of Saitek, the Lienliek cub had a large, bloodied gash in his right thigh. One of his eyes was squeezed shut and several patches of fur looked to be missing. He couldn't tell what was happening with Vincent, the man was like a phantom darting in and out of limbs with a speed that Squall simply couldn't keep up with. He was assured that he still lived, though, when he heard the reptitive firing of the gun Vincent carried. The battle had been going on for so long, that Squall was now certain that Vincent reloaded his gun every six times he pulled the trigger.

Just before he jumped away from another attack, Squall plunged the gunblade into the side of the monster, ignoring the squirt of black blood that soaked into his shirt. He pulled the trigger of the gunblade, satisfied by the thunderous crack of the bullet before he pulled his sword out and leaped backwards, away from the flailing limbs and slicing claws. Squall crouched down for a moment to catch his breath, breathing heavily as his gray eyes roamed over the monster. It bore the marks of battle, covered and riddled with bullet holes and countless slashes. Pieces of its black flesh were oozing and falling off and several of its hundreds of eyes were gone. The monster was slowly going down, but it would fight far longer than they could.

Squall reached up and brushed his face with the sleeve of his jacket, grimacing at the feeling of cool liquid it left behind. No doubt more of the damn thing's blood, now happily smeared on his face.

He felt an itch in the back of his mind. It was very faint, but it was familiar. It was the same sensation he'd felt in his dreams, the same probing green energy that had assaulted him several times. This time, however, it was seriously weakened and he could barely feel it trying to sting some awareness into him. Squall shook his head, scowling. Not **now**, he growled. This wasn't the best time to be distracted. He quickly ducked and rolled to the side, barely avoiding another sweep of a long double jointed skeletal claw. Again he felt that tug, gnawing insistently at the back of his head. It refused to be ignored, but he didn't know what it _wanted. _It wasn't until he was staring at his hand, wondering when he had pulled the small red materia out of his pocket, that he realized what it was trying to tell him.

The dead, red materia. It was a summon materia, right? It was dull, and _looked_ dead.. But it _did_ have that strange, amber center. It felt heavier in his hand, and he considered the possibility. What if it wasn't dead at all? What if...

It was crazy.

Squall was going to try it anyways. It wasn't like the itch was giving him a choice.

Squall watched the ongoing battle, relieved that for a moment Vincent and Sai were keeping the monster busy; though he got the feeling Vincent had noticed what he was up to. He focused on the orb in his hand, listening intently for the tell-tale pulse of magic. He didn't sense anything at all, and was quick to give up on the idea right before he felt it. A gentle, faint, practically unnoticeable resonating energy that throbbed in his hand. Whatever it was, it was still there. It was just.. faint. Not weak, but faint, like it was too far away. Squall learned from his mistake with the fire materia, and this time when he searched for the energy and latched onto it he made sure to simply _push_ it. Draw and cast. He didn't want to store it. The fire spell was already cramping his head. The energy was slippery to get ahold of, elusive, as though it didn't want to be found. But Squall was stubborn headed, refusing to let it go so easily. He _latched_ onto it, yanking forcefully and then _shoving_ it out, forcing the red materia to give up it's energy.

He suffered an immediate backlash. Squall screamed as shards of pain assaulted his head, and in the back of his suddenly completely incoherent mind he couldn't help but be sick and _tired_ of this pain. He grabbed his head in both of his hands, gritting his teeth tightly together as he doubled over from the agony of his skull splitting apart. It wasn't attacking him, whatever it was. Rather, it was just.. _released_, as weird as that sounded. Squall couldn't describe it, but the pain he felt was just a shockwave that had resulted from activating the materia. His ears felt loose and wet as a high-pitched ringing sound echoed in his head, drowning out every noise around him.

Maybe that's why he didn't at first hear the rumble of a loud engine tearing it's way across the base as it approached the battlefield.

The ringing noise in his head slowly began to ebb away, and Squall grimaced at the throbbing headache he'd given himself. He didn't understand why drawing from the damned materia was so taxing, but he made a mental note to never, ever, do it again. Emergency situation or not.

Shaking his head to clear it, because there _was_ a battle still going on, Squall squinted as he forced himself to stand. His gunblade at some point had fallen to the ground next to him, but he still held onto the red materia quite tightly. Blinking his eyes, Squall looked up to see Saitek still fighting the monster, and Vincent darting through the air every now and then. It was then he heard the rumbling.

Turning his head, he squinted his blurry vision and attempted to focus on a black speck in the distance, quickly making its approach to the fight. He couldn't make out what it was until it was much closer, and he was surprised to find it looked like a very large, heavily muscled _motorbike_. The gleaming, glistening machine tore through the frozen cement and broken earth as though it were nothing, it's rider obviously quite experienced with rough and unpredictable terrain.

Squall watched as the ebony motorbike rushed past him, blowing his jacket and hair in the wave of wind that billowed out behind it. Dust and snow went flying into air in its tracks, and the bike suddenly screeched loudly as it turned to its sides, it's two tires sliding on the ground as it tilted downwards. The rider had a leg partially extended, balancing himself before the bike came to a complete stop, it's engine roaring loudly in the midst of the sounds of battle.

The SeeD didn't get a good look at its rider. He noticed it was definitely male, and definitely matched the bike, wearing all black save for a free-skinned arm. He had a head full of bright, golden hair, sticking out in every which way and coming to a delicate, feathered point at the back of his skull. The rider didn't seem to notice anything around him. He remained perched on the bike for a single moment with his head turned towards the monster, and Squall got the feeling the man was sizing the monster up.

Suddenly the sides of the large monstrous bike shot open, revealing compartments on either side that were filled with six different blades, three on each side. The rider didn't waste a moment as he smoothly pulled on each blade, fitting and locking them together with the expertise of a well-practiced motion. It took him mere seconds to do, and the end result was a larger than life weapon, a sword as tall as he was and just as wide. It was an immense weapon, and Squall couldn't help but admire the power that it must wield.

The monster seemed to notice the new combatant then, and a large thick black tentacle, stubbed at the end from a previous injury, went sailing down towards him. There was a flash of silver as the sword moved quickly through the air, almost faster than Squall could see, and the monster shrieked as another large section of its tentacle went flying through the air until it fell to the ground, twitching uselessly. Quickly, the rider got off the bike and took several steps back, lowering himself into a crouch as he held the broadsword out to his side.

With an almost gentle movement, his body launched into the air with a blur of dark clothing, and Squall could see the sword beginning to glow with a bright blue halo of energy. He took this time to notice that Saitek had paused in his fighting, breathing heavily from the ground as he stared up at the monster. He also noticed that Vincent had stopped altogether, absolutely frozen to the spot he perched on at the edge of a rooftop. Squall couldn't make out his face, but Vincent's entire posture was entirely too tense to be normal. Was he surprised?

Squall was secretly smug about this. Surprise, Vincent. Saitek was wrong, 'dead' materia _does_ work.

Looking back at the fight, Squall watched as the unknown fighter soared towards the top of the large behemoth of a monster, twirling the over-sized blade over his head with such ease that Squall wondered if it weighed as much as it looked. He suddenly shot the weapon forward, and the hilt appeared to break off as the other pieces of the sword broke free of the whole and flew through the air, surrounding the beast with a sword on each side, pointed downwards at a deadly angle. Blue energy wisped around each blade, and Squall found himself staring at the fighter again as a bright, fiery golden aura erupted around him.

The next few seconds happened almost too quickly for Squall to keep up with. One second, the warrior had been hovering and then the next he was on the opposite side of the battlefield, still in the _air_ and grabbing one of the free-floating blades. The only way Squall could keep up was by watching the golden aura shoot across the sky, each time slashing through the monster with a different bladed weapon.

The monster roared out painfully, thrashing as it lashed out with its tentacles and claws, bellowing in frustration when the golden figure moved too quickly for it to strike. Every time one of the blades were used, the glowing blue aura erupted into gold as the weapon waited when released, hovering in the air in spite of gravity. Another flash of golden light and the monster screamed, flailing it's black tentacles as it slammed them into the ground. The entire area shook, and buildings trembled and fell beneath the force of the assault.

Squall noticed a flash of red out the corner of his eye, and could see that Vincent had finally jumped out of his stupor, standing now just a few feet from him. He looked over briefly to see that the gunner was staring, wide-eyed with shock at the sight before him. As if he'd never seen a summon before.

By the time the mercenary looked back, the golden fighter had flown high above the monster, twirling the last blade in his hand before he came flying down. The blade slashed into the black mass, ripping down its side as the wielder held onto the blade with two hands while he fell, tearing the monster in half with streams of golden energy darting through the deathblow. When he hit the ground his knees buckled beneath the force of his momentum, forcing him to kneel slightly as the other blades fell in a circle around him. Standing, he looked up and reached out, catching the last blade with graceful expert timing, lowering it to his side.

The monster roared pitifully, it's large sides oozing with pus and acid that ate at the ground beneath it. It's limbs flailed uncontrollably, and one side of it began to drip down to the earth below, the other half struggling to stay up. There was a sickening slurping sound as each half fell apart from each other, and the last standing half finally gave into gravity, falling to the broken ground with a disgusting slurp and bubble. The monster shuddered, quivering loosely before it let out a low, deep groan with its last rasping breath.

Squall was certain it had to be dead _now_. He turned away from the scene, picking his gunblade off the ground and setting it on his shoulder. Saying nothing, he looked over to Vincent and noticed that the gunner was _still_ staring at the summon. Squall frowned mentally, looking back over at it curiously. Had it really been that long since they'd seen one? They hadn't reacted this way when he'd brought out Shiva.. It seemed that Vincent recognized the summon. Maybe it'd been one he'd used before?

"Cloud?"

Squall looked back over at Vincent, watching the gunner stare at the summoned fighter with something that bordered on surprise, shock and somehow, hope? Turning his head, he once again looked at the blonde-haired fighter, watching as the warrior turned slowly, staring at them with an absentminded expression. It didn't seem to see them, the sword held loosely in its hand as it's eyes flicked around curiously.

"Cloud!" Vincent shouted, stepping forward quickly.

At this the fighter looked straight at them. Squall noticed that the bright blue eyes were glowing softly in the dark, hazy light of the northern continent. The fighter's eyes narrowed and he stepped forward a little, shuffling with a hesitating caution. It was getting harder to see him, and Squall realized that the summon was beginning to fade away, becoming more transparent with every second. The fighter opened his mouth and although they could see the word forming they couldn't hear it, then it was too late as he, his bike and his weapons completely disappeared from sight.

Saitek was the first to recover. The Lienliek trotted over excitedly, howling with joy and ignoring the pain of his wounds. "Holy Meteor!" he shouted, "I can't believe that worked! Leon! You're amazing!! That was so _awesome_!!" The cub danced excitedly around Squall's feet, the mercenary unfortunately paying him no mind as he locked his eyes with Vincent's. The two of them stared at each other with such hostility that for a moment, when Saitek noticed, he thought they would at any moment leap at each other.

The Lienliek's voice died down and he looked between the both of them. "What's wrong?" He asked.

"Where's Rinoa?"

"Where's Cloud?"

The two of them spoke at the exact same time, their voices overlapping one another. Neither of them were pleased with that, the glare between them heating up considerably. Squall hefted his gunblade, pointing the deadly end of it towards the gunner with his finger on the trigger. "Where. Is. Rinoa." Squall demanded, his voice cold through his clenched teeth.

Vincent's crimson eyes narrowed. "She's gone." He said, deciding he'd get his answers from the boy one way or the other, he might as well humor him until then.

"What do you mean? Where is she?" Squall growled, furious at the cryptic response.

"I don't know."

"You were supposed to keep her safe!" Snarled the SeeD, anger breaking through his legendary frigid composure.

Vincent stared at the mercenary with a cold intensity. "She is safe."

"Then where is she?!"

"I told you, she isn't here." Vincent replied smoothly, though his clipped voice betrayed his waning patience. "Answer my questions. Where is Cloud?"

"Who is Cloud?" And why the heck should Squall know where he was?

"The fighter just then. Where is he?" Vincent had seen it with his own eyes. He didn't believe it at first, but there was no mistaking Fenrir and the First Tsurugi. Certainly no mistaking the Omnislash, nor the hair full of golden blonde spikes. It had been Cloud. Cloud who he thought had _died_ over three hundred years ago. The very same Cloud that had awakened him from his slumber, the very same man he had called his friend. One of very few, and one of the best. This.. SeeD, had somehow found him. But what did he _do_ with him? Certainly.. Vincent's eyes flicked down the mercenary's hand.

Squall noticed the look, then it dawned on him. "You mean this?" He asked, raising the red orb to eye level. "You can have it, but only after you tell me where Rinoa is."

Saitek spoke up then, carefully and almost meagerly, afraid of having Leon point his sword at him. "Leon.. how did you do it?" Asked the Lienliek cautiously.

"Do what?" Squall didn't take his eyes off of the gunner, keeping the blade of his weapon steady and even in the air.

"Use the materia. It was dead!"

"No.. It was just dormant. I think."

"You got it to work?"

Squall made an affirmative noise.

"How?" Saitek tilted his head, he hated to think he didn't believe Leon, but it _was_ kind of impossible.

Squall looked over at Saitek briefly, lifting one shoulder in a careless shrug. "Don't know. But it worked."

Vincent stared at Squall thoughtfully. Cloud had.. ...been summoned? But how? Was he really trapped inside the red materia? That would explain his absence, though Vincent couldn't imagine how or why Cloud had been trapped inside a materia for three hundred years. Was it even possible? "We should leave."

"I'm not leaving without Rinoa." Squall said firmly, staring at the gunner with an unrelenting stubborness.

"She isn't _here_, Squall." Vincent insisted. "I'll tell you all that I know, after we leave. Saitek is injured, we are all exhausted. It will do us no good to stand out here in this temperature."

Squall shivered at the reminder, the heat of battle slowly losing its own war with the frigid temperature surrounding them. He wasn't so easy to convince, though. He felt, a part of him knew, that Rinoa wasn't here. He even hoped she wasn't. At the state of this place, she could be buried beneath tons and tons of.. Squall clenched his eyes shut at the thought, gritting his teeth again. "Fine." He finally conceded, lowering his blade. "But I _will_ get answers."

…_**..............:`' ~ Author's Notes ~'`:................**_

1) Vincent's spidey-sense is tingling!

Yay, it's up! How'd you like it? I'm chewing my nails over here in anticipation of hearing your opinions. I hope the chapter isn't rushed for you guys, but I promised Cloud in this chapter and I didn't want to stop until he came. I hope his scene came out alright.. I know it wasn't much, but he'll be showing up a _lot_ more now. In fact, expect more of him in the next chapter and every chapter thereafter! He's probably just as confused as you are! I'll probably write a recap of the scene from his point of view, also, which should be interesting and maybe give you guys some light on what he's been up to. Mwah.

--This chapter is two chapters in one, practically. It's double the size of my other chapters. Hope ya'll don't mind. Lemme know what you think, though! A **lot** happened in this chapter! I hope I didn't just explode your brains. And there's a **lot** more to come, too! Think of this as the **true** start of everything!

--How did I do with characterizations? Did I write everyone alright? See anything amiss or out of place? My brain is fried, and I don't have a beta and I didn't read over or check anything so there's a chance there's a huge mistake in there somewhere. Be sure to point it out to me if ya see anything?

--The next chapter might be a little longer of wait, though hopefully no longer than a week. I just need to take a break is all. Course, who knows? My muses are fickle things and there's still a chance I might be typing up the next chapter tomorrow whether I like it or not!

Sorry about the lack of Nustle in this chapter. The poor bird is really just a background item. :(

--My story is quickly resembling swiss cheese at the rate of the plot holes I'm digging. I realize my timing is all screwed up. Squall and Sai were supposed to take weeks to get the base, but obviously got there in like, a week. Ugh. Will ya'll be kind to me and pretend it works out? We could pretend Squall and Sai made super time! Yeah?

--I totally made up all the stuff about the whole draw/cast and materia bit. If you disagree with how I've put it, no flaming! I'd love to discuss your own theories though, if ya send me a message or a review or something about it.

--This was my first fighting scene. How'd I do? Where and how can I improve?

**Not-so-Fun Fact: **So, I have no idea about the trees glowing or not. I might've made a fatal plot hole error in assuming the sleeping forest lies outside of the forgotten city (ala advent children). The whole glowing tree thing really caught my eye in the movie, and I assumed it's always that way, but now I'm not so sure because of a vid I saw of the same scene only _without_ the glowing trees and someone mentioning that the remnants caused the trees to glow somehow and oy. So, if it's all completely geographically wrong in comparison to the game and everything after, then forgive me when I ask you to pretend it's this way instead. x_X I'm basing the scene around what I saw in the regular 'ol AC, which means glowing trees right outside the forgotten city, which in my story is still connected to the whole cetra and lifestream thing.

If none of this makes sense to you, ignore it. :D

P.S. :: I thought of an awesome idea. The first person to send me a song with lyrics that are directed to someone (ie, songs with a bunch of you and I and such) will get a small ficlet written around the song! :D It'll be Cloud, probably Cloud/Leon or something. Any requests?! (I might do more if you send a song that's really nifty)

Review! For me? :(


	8. Still Alive

_.:`'~ Legacy ~'`:._

_-=-=-=-=-=-_

You have changed  
I have changed  
Just like you  
Just like you

For how long  
For how long  
Must I wait  
I know there's something wrong

Your concrete heart isn't beating  
And you tried to  
Make it come alive

No shadows  
Just red lights  
Now I'm here to rescue you

_-=-=-=-=-=-_

"Dr. Conolly!" Johnny's voice down the hallway ahead of his hurried footsteps as he raced down the hallway. "Dr. Conolly!" He yelled impatiently when he received no answer. Slamming into the door at the end of the hallway, he cursed as his papers scattered from his hands. Kneeling down he began snatching them off the ground, holding the door open with an extended foot. "Dr. Conolly, look at these readings!" He yelled again, his voice grunting from his bent position. He knew she had to have heard him this time.

Dr. Conolly raised her eyebrows at the strange behavior of her best technician from where she stood, at an angle that really all she saw was his waving rear end as he attempted to back into the room, still scratching for papers he'd dropped. She'd been in the process of getting ready to leave when she'd heard his frantic voice calling, and at the rate of approach he'd gotten to the lab before she ever had a chance of opening the door for him. Lowering the clipboard in her hand and shaking her head, she watched him with quiet amusement. "What is it, Johnathon?" She asked, her free hand sliding into a pocket of her crisp, knee-length white coat.

"Look at this!" He yelled back, grabbing the last sheet of fallen paper as he stood and whirled around quickly. Unfortunately his foot shifted from it's placeholder position and the mechanical door automatically began swinging shut, knocking into his shoulder with a heavy whump. He grimaced, pushing the door away while trying not to spill his papers again and darted inside the room, quickly thrusting several sheets at her and waving them wildly in her face. "Look!" He insisted, his eyes bright with excitement and his voice covered with urgency.

"Alright, alright." She said, "Calm down. What's going on?" A bit annoyed at the flurry of white papers dancing in front of her face, she tilted her head back and snatched the papers out of her vision with a little more force than necessary. Johnathon was generally an enthusiastic individual, but this was a little extreme even for him and she didn't like it. But she also realized that whatever had gotten to him must've been _something_. Despite his exaggerated enthusiasm, Johnathon _generally_ tended to use a little more tact than this. Resetting her glasses on her nose, she glanced at one of the papers -charts she realized- in her hand and immediately noticed what he'd been trying to show her. She inhaled sharply, her eyes widening a fraction as she dropped her clipboard and grabbed the papers with both hands eagerly. "When were these taken?!" She hissed excitedly, quickly walking to a nearby table and slamming the papers down as she stretched and flattened them out on the steel surface.

"Just over the past thirty-six hours," His voice was full of excitement as he looked over her shoulder. "It started about a day or so ago and it's just been going up since!" There was a huge grin plastered on his face and he jumped his weight from foot to foot, watching her skim frantically over the rising readings with her a well manicured fingernail.

"A day ago?" She repeated sharply, finger pausing in its travel across the graphical readings.

"Yes ma'am!" He was completely oblivious to the sudden drop in temperature.

Dr. Conolly hesitated, frowning thoughtfully as she fished for the importance of that information. A day or so ago..? Wait. Wasn't that when Shinra destroyed that piece of space rock? It was pure coincidence, but there was something fluttering about in her head, something that was scratching and demanding attention. _Pay __attention__, _her sharp subconscious said, light-years ahead of her. There were two major facts she had presented before her that closely resembled something she _should_ remember. Her scientific instinct was telling her that she was just missing a piece of the puzzle. A piece of a puzzle that she _should_ be very aware of ...Wait. "Johnathon."

"...Yes Dr. Conolly?" Johnny hesitated, only just now realizing the sudden change in the air. One second she'd been as excited as he was, and then the next she was radiating a weary sort of caution.

"Go to the computer. Pull up and print out Report NC2K-500JC." Her eyes squinted as she read over the charts a little more closely. The readings showed it was rising very quickly, surging with an unpredicted tide. But why? The Lifestream had been in recess for so long..Terrific news indeed, but… there was something _else_ they should pay attention to. Or maybe.. Maybe she was overreacting.. Things too good to be true often are, but maybe this time she was just looking too deeply. (1)

Walking to a nearby computer and logging in, Johnny typed in the file sequence, raising an eyebrow at the subject matter of the document. He also noted the sheer _size_ of the file. "Uh.. Dr. Conolly, this thing is huge-" He began to say before she interrupted him, distracted by the charts.

"Section 1A."

Nodding, he turned back to the screen and highlighted the selection, printing it out immediately. Reading over the words as they printed his eyes widened a little at the familiar names and events. What was she..? Johnny narrowed his eyes at the screen thoughtfully, looking over at Dr. Conolly. "You don't think.." He began, a sardonic edge creeping into his voice. It was ridiculous. Would she really be jumping to such conclusions? He'd never known her to be an illogical woman, but he would be the first to admit she had one of the most renowned instincts for scientific studies. And in a field with no solid base of research except for documents and recorded history, she was the best.

"I don't know yet." She said absentmindedly, walking over and pulling sheets of paper into her hands as they printed. Quickly her eyes scanned over the information, whispering softly to herself while she read certain keywords it over. "Northern Crater... Meteor.. ...Jenova.... WEAPONS.. hmmm.."

It was ridiculous, she decided immediately. There simply wasn't enough conclusive evidence and she was overreacting. A false alarm, she nodded. Setting the papers down, the doctor stared at them for several long moments, convincing herself of this fact. "..Coincidence." She murmured, shaking her head. Taking her glasses off she rubbed the lenses between the sides of her coat, staring down at the papers with a hint of nostalgia. "Nevermind, Johnny."

"...Doctor?"

Looking up at him Dr. Conolly smiled. "It's nothing, I just thought of a few shared common traits and got ahead of myself. This is so exciting, Johnathon!" She exclaimed suddenly, turning back around and staring at the charts, her glasses sliding onto her nose with an expert movement. "At the rate it's going we can expect Mako fountains within another day! Can you _imagine_ what we could learn from this?! We've got to send out crews to the most strategically possible locations and be prepared to extract samples. Get ahold of Shinra, send copies of these graphs as well as these specific locations here," She pointed at one marker, "And here," And another marker on the chart. Dr. Conolly thought for a moment before pointing at three more locations. "I think these will be our best bet."

"Didn't those used to be Mako Reactors?" Johnny asked, recalling information from his memory.

The doctor nodded, taking a marker out of her pocket as she pointed to a large transparent paper. "Mako Reactors were built over the greatest concentration of Mako when it had been available. There's a decent probability of those locations being the first to produce visible Mako. We should be fully prepared for it, there's no telling how long the Lifestream will remain this close to the surface."

Fetching the requested transparency sheet, Johnny watched her fit it over the graph in one quick sweep, immediately beginning to trace the graphs and make markings all along the way. Lifestream? He thought, smiling adoringly at the doctor as she worked. He was happy to be the one to bring good news to her, to give her this excitement. It truly made his day when he could brighten hers. He knew she'd love the readings. There'd been no recordings of obtainable Mako for the past several hundred years. This was the opportunity of a lifetime to prove that not only was their science valid, but that they'd been right all along. And he was a part of the biggest discovery of a lifetime.

"And Johnathon." Dr. Conolly asked suddenly, never looking up as she continued marking feverishly.

"Yes doctor?"

"Call Nanaki."

_**.:`'~ Legacy ~'`:.**_

Rinoa watched the battle from the safety of her _lair_ -she snickered-, able to see everything as it happened through the thousands of eyes settled in every direction on the side of the giant, black ooze monster. Not exactly an imaginative beast, but infection never guaranteed appearances, only change. Vincent was lasting a lot longer than she thought. He was strong, obviously. And _fast_ too. It was a shame she couldn't have him, but oh well. Everything, including him, on this planet was going to die anyways, it was just a matter of when.

Oddly enough. for a moment there when she'd been talking to him, it had almost seemed like he understood her. What she was and where she came from, as impossible as that seemed. The sudden ferocity of his attacks had surprised her and made her insanely curious. How could he have known? Was he an alien also? Or perhaps from another world, already ravaged? Thankfully, there was one way to find out. Human beings were clever creatures, but insanely naive to keep such bountiful information in their electronic databases. Now the only matter was repairing one into working order. Something neither she, this body, or any previous body had any knowledge of.

"How much longer?" Rinoa sighed, rolling her eyes as she turned her head to the side to look at the soldiers on her right. The maintenance soldiers were busy attempting to repair a large computer station that had been nearly destroyed in the battle. She intended to use it as soon as it was operational, assured in the fact that it's database would hold any of the information she'd need to make this planet hers. General Canon had informed her of that. How useful to have such a strategic military base close by for the taking. Unfortunately that was all he could share. The soldier before him hadn't even known about this location, hidden well beneath the surface of the Shinra Base. And the host she claimed now was even more useless for surrendering information. Well, any information about this _world_. This human after all wasn't even _from_ this world!

Rinoa grinned at the interesting thought. Maybe after she was done here she'd find this other world and take it, too. It seemed to have it's fair share of abundant life and this Sorceress thing was definitely something she could get used to. Given the events that transpired to bring the girl and her boyfriend here, the other world wouldn't be expecting such an attack so soon after their own little worldly crisis.

Speaking of boyfriend.

Rinoa was capable of viewing every perspective from every monster and human in her collective at any given time. She had the ability to be concentrating and focusing on one perspective, while still viewing several others with complete awareness. While she continued to watch the soldiers repair the large computer, she also became aware of the fact that Vincent was no longer fighting alone. He had obtained two allies and one of them looked _very_ familiar.

"Oooohhh." She purred, "Who is _this?_" A quick thought reminded her of his name and she smiled. "Squall Leonhart.." Rinoa sighed dreamily, settling back on her throne. "So daring.." Another thought occurred to her, rising from the depths of her borrowed memories. "...A knight?" She giggle, tapping her fingers together as she kicked her feet. "He's my -knight-!? How _romantic!!_"

_Don't you touch him! _Screamed a voice in the back of her mind, and Rinoa rolled her eyes.

"Why not?" She asked smugly, watching as the rather handsome fighter dove in and attacked her monster fearlessly. He looked so _dashing_. Brave. And.. _strong._

_Leave him alone! _

"Pffft. As if. He's my knight. He deserves to be with me, huh?" She murmured absentmindedly, watching the fight closely and learning everything she could from it. There was a large cat beast too, she'd mistaken him for a monster at first. But it was obviously clear that he was sentient and intelligent. Young, too. A curious little beast that held her eyes for a bit longer than he should've.

_He's not your knight!_

"Oh, I beg to differ. He's your knight after all. And since I am you... Hee!" She tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Hmm. Maybe I should go out there now, y'know? I bet he'd easily come with me. He's here for _you_ after all, right?" Rinoa's smile widened. "Us. Whatever. I wonder if he'd fight the others for you..? It'd be easy.. I'd tell him it was all their fault and he would listen, wouldn't he?"

Anger poured into her mind and Rinoa laughed. "Wow. Jealous much? Yeesh, calm down girl. I won't do anything. Yet. I wanna see what he can do against my monsters. There's a difference between fighting Sorceresses and me, y'know." Rinoa ignored any comeback that her host had to make, watching the battle play out in her field of vision. "Besides," She added on as an afterthought, "This way is more fun." And gave her much prettier eye candy. Not that Vincent wasn't bad lookin' either..

She spent a long time watching and studying each fighter as they attacked her monster. Vincent was incredibly fast and agile, every shot hitting a vital part to injure the monster. He was very experienced and moved with a grace that seemed practically inhuman. The small cat-like creature was vicious, tearing and ripping with his claws that reminded her a lot of her monsters, -and- he could use magic. Rinoa scrunched her nose a little at that thought. This body knew nothing of how magic worked in this world, though the world it came from had utilized guardian forces. Which she was disappointed to realize her host was not junctioned to one. Imagine the possibilities. That would've been interesting to see. She was lucky that General Canon was fairly educated about the use materia, the differences between Mako and _Spiritus Profusum_, otherwise known as the Lifestream. Rinoa purred as she eyed the small beads on the great cat's hairpin.

And then there was Squall. To be quite honest the attraction she felt towards him was mostly in part due to the remnants from her host's memories. That and her own craving for power. But this _body_ enjoyed gazing on him and the memories she'd stolen encouraged her to sigh wistfully at the sight of him, despite the fact he was destroying her creation. Inhabiting this body gave her access to a lot of information she hadn't had in the other bodies, information from another world. For instance, she knew a lot about the SeeD commander and everything he's been through. His fighting prowess and what he was fighting for. He moved, not as gracefully as Vincent but still fully capable of handling himself in an admirable way.

She also knew that he hadn't wanted any part of it. From her memories she recalled how cold and stoic he'd been, so _indifferent_ to everything when her host had met him. He'd done his duty as a mercenary and nothing more, referring to contracts and refusing to sway from direct orders. But it had changed, hadn't it? He'd warmed up to her, opening his cold heart and allowing her to break through and surround him with warmth. Now he's followed her to the ends of time and reality itself, thrust into a world unfamiliar to him and fighting to save her, regardless of his own ambitions.

It made him a perfect tool.

Anger rushed at her and Rinoa rolled her eyes. "Ungrateful little wench." She muttered beneath her breath, leaning forward as she watched Squall crumple to the ground suddenly. He held his head in pain and she frowned thoughtfully, wondering why. Another memory surfaced, supplying her with Ellone and the dream world. But that wasn't this. He'd been holding a small object before hadn't he? A materia by the looks of it, comparing it to images General Canon had seen. What had it been and why did it hurt him?

A new fighter arrived. And she smirked smugly as Rinoa's body betrayed her with thoughts of awe and wonder as the large black bike he rode came to a lurching stop in front of the large monster. When he moved he was smooth and graceful and everything about him screamed _snake_ to her. From the golden spikes atop his head to the blazing blue determination in his eyes... Glowing eyes? Rinoa frowned, watching closely. Glowing eyes.. glowing eyes.. That wasn't human, but there was something General Canon knew.. What had it been.. It was troublesome to reach, a memory far back in the history books. SOLDIER. They were extinct, however. The practice abandoned as mako disappeared from the surface of the planet.

And there was something else in this man, something that took sudden and complete precedence. Her curiosity was immediately peaked, followed by a sudden suspicion. He seemed _familiar_. That in itself was impossible, she'd never seen or met him before. But he felt familiar, very faintly and in the most vague sense possible. _Very_ familiar. Almost like family.

Rinoa squinted her eyes, a violet glow emanating from them as she gently reached out with her senses through her monster. A touch of the atmosphere and she remembered what he reminded her of now. When she'd still been dormant on the rock in space above this planet, she had felt several different elements pulling her towards this world's surface. The first and foremost enticing tug had been the essence of life on this world, the abundance of it. She knew now it was the Lifestream, the practical blood of the very planet itself and where all of its life stemmed from. That had been a blinding beacon, what had drawn her with the most irresistible force. The second most powerful persuasion had been this girl here, this human not of this world. The powers harbored within this frail host's body had called to her, singing and whispering promises of great, unimaginable strength all hers for the taking. But the third.. The third had been nothing more than a faint whisper, trailing on the edges of her outer most senses. She'd barely heard it, and although the scent was faint it was still perceptible and oh so familiar. She hadn't been able to place it before and although she was much closer to it now it still felt like there was something between them. A thick, muffling barrier that was filtering out what she should be able to detect.. That something that whispered.

And that something was very deeply hidden inside the blonde-haired human.

Rinoa leaned back in her seat when the man disappeared, clasping her hands beneath her chin again in deep thought. It was so _familiar_ but it felt so.. _vague_. Sort of like hearing a conversation from behind ten layers of thick steel walls, she supposed. Even as her monster writhed in its death throes the familiar _pulse _resonated through its consciousness and into her own mind, gently knocking.

Rinoa clicked her tongue softly. "You know what it feels like..?" She asked herself, "It feels like...." She grew silent, her violet eyes narrowing thoughtfully. "...But why here? And in that human..?" The strange part wasn't that she felt the echoes stirring from the body of that human. No, that wasn't it at all. If anything that was expected, after all, she was currently hosted in another body of her own. The strange part of the situation came from just how _weak_ the echo was. That in and of itself was unexplainable. They did not grow _weaker_, only stronger. They did not _lose_ themselves. Another idea presented itself and left her wondering just how long her _relative_ has lingered here on this planet? And why? It wasn't natural at all. Locate a planet, populate it, destroy it and move on. "Hmmmm.."

Well, she had one way of figuring it out. Two, really. Maybe three. But the first and foremost method would be using the computer as soon as it was repaired. Thinking of which.. "Almost done?" She asked, glancing over as one of the soldiers straightened and wiped off his brow.

"Yes ma'am!" He answered with a wide, somewhat still human grin. "I'd say about five more minutes and it should be operational, though repairs will need to continue if it's going to stay that way." The soldier folded his arms with a nod, feeling very useful and well.. accomplished. It was always a good thing to feel needed.

"Yea yea yea.." Rinoa flicked her hand at him dismissively to get him back to work, kicking her legs back and forth in the chair as she tucked her hands beneath her thighs. She hummed a soft melody under her breath, a tune that seemed both alien and familiar to her. Curiously she searched her host's memories and her smile widened as she recalled the first meeting with her knight. Dancing with the handsome young Squall in a large ballroom, fireworks exploding in the sky above them with shooting stars.. "How romantic." She coo'd, giggling from the outrage she felt bubbling through her host's imprisoned subconscious.

If she couldn't find what she needed in the computer there was a second option. That would require more of a hands on approach, however. Meaning she needed to get closer to the blonde-haired human. Despite what she felt through her monster's body, being up close and personal would be the most accurate way to be absolutely certain of what she'd felt. But how could she get close enough? She needed to figure out how he got there. At first glance she'd thought he'd just appeared, but then he had _faded_. And she _had_ seen what happened beforehand. It hadn't been too obvious but she did see what Squall had done right before it happened. And what he'd been holding. A summon materia. General Canon didn't know much about them, only that they were extinct and even mythical. But that had to be it. And if that were the case, then what had truly become of her _relative_? Could her _predecessor_, she sneered at the thought, an ugly expression on her host's beautiful face, have been trapped inside it somehow? That would explain just how feeble it was when she'd first felt it, more like echoes than anything. One thing was for certain was that it was trapped in that red orb and in the body of that summon, and that it was weak.

The circumstances given to her from this planet were all too good to be true. This would give her the once in a lifetime opportunity, a perfect opportunity, to absorb whatever was left of her _cousin_ or _sister. _To be honest there was no word in the human language to describe the relationship between her kind. They were all of one and yet all different and individualistic, with their own predispositions and ambitions. And here she was presented with the extremely rare opportunity to take down one of the most potent of them all, to absorb whatever cells remained of her _relative_ and make them her own, including every bit of power they had, every experience and all the knowledge the other had retained. It would make her so much stronger, so much more effective, so much more... The cells were so ancient, there was no way they could resist her.

It made her giddy just thinking about it, and Rinoa giggled as she kicked her legs more forcefully. This planet truly was a gem, her beloved utopia and it was soooo _perfect_. It was not chance which brought her here, it was fate.

The first and most important step was to get Mr. Knight over here. Grab him up, make him her knight, absorb the cells of her ancient _relative_, and then proceed to conquer all life on this planet and make it her own, adding to her unique strength. It was very exciting! Compared to the others she was a pretty young strain, but just imagine what she could do with the power she gained from this world. After she was finished with this planet it would only take a few more before she was more powerful than any other strain. Eventually, she'd just absorb them all into herself and become the one and only hummed happily at the thought, hugging herself with a big smile. She could take down entire galaxies! Her human heart was beating rapidly within her chest at the dream, thrumming with the rush of beautiful adrenaline.

And if her knight behaved himself, he could do this too. She'd let him, if he wanted. He could keep his consciousness, be with his beloved, and help conquer the entirety of space itself! She could give him that power when she was done here if he wanted it. It would be completely up to him. After all, she didn't _need_ him, she only truly needed that and then he could be easily discarded if he didn't want to follow along. It was purely out of the goodness of her heart that she was giving him this opportunity, to calm her host's fears of his death and save herself a headache. Of course, her host didn't seem too pleased either way.

_Relax, _she ordered_, It's either this or he dies._

"Repairs are complete!" The soldier's delighted announcement interrupted her thoughts, and when she looked over her was beaming at her proudly from across the darkened room. If it weren't for her enhanced vision she'd never be able to see him over the distance.

"Yes!" She shouted gleefully, quickly hopping off of her chair and skipping over with the ruffle of her tattered and blood-stained blue duster at her heels. When she approached the soldier she reached out and ran a hand through his hair affectionately, purring at him. He leaned into it with an ever widening grin, though when she pulled her hand away clumps of his human hair came with it. Rinoa giggled. "You're coming along nicely, aren't'cha?" She wiped her hand off on the shoulder of his torn uniform, the soldier's grin suddenly turning sheepish.

"Alriiiiighty then. Let's see what this baby can do." Rinoa stretched with a soft groan. "Gimme a chair, will ya?" She turned to the computer intently, moments later a soft edge bumping into the back of her legs. Sitting in the chair as the soldier pushed it beneath her, Rinoa cracked her knuckles and dived into the recorded history of the planet.

**.:`'~ Legacy ~'`:.**

Cloud had never wanted to fight. If he could solve everything without resorting to the use of a weapon he'd be the first to volunteer. He fought to protect himself and others. He fought to save those who couldn't fight for themselves. His friends, his loved ones. That was where his strength came from and that is where he spent it. He would never take for granted the love they gave to him. To fight for them, to save them from everything that would hurt them.. It was the least he could do.

But he never enjoyed fighting. Well. That was a lie. Perhaps somewhere in the midst of adrenaline and heat and excitement he _did_ enjoy himself. Might as well, right? After all, even though he may have at one time not been much of a fighter, he was a warrior now. It was all he _could_ do. It was what he was best at.

That didn't stop him from wishing for simpler times. Peaceful times. A time in which he wouldn't need to protect or fight to save those he loved. A time when they could just be.. _safe_, and he could be rest assured that he could put his sword away and attempt to be good at something else.

Now that most of his friends and beloved ones were dead, he had to wonder _why_ he didn't put his sword away. He never really knew anyone else. Even in the century after the last of them had died he never made new, true friends. It's not that he was worried about replacing them. No, that wasn't it. He knew in his heart they would _never_ be replaced. It was just that to say hello to anyone else outside of that exclusive circle around his heart was.. awkward. His friends had known everything about him. He had no secrets to hide from them and they understood him. They understood everything he'd been through and they had gone through a lot of it with him. There had been this connection between all of them, strong and tangible, a real bond. It was something that the rest of the world lacked. He'd met a lot of people during his lifetime, traveling around Gaea and doing whatever was required of him. Mostly deliveries. It was the only thing left he was familiar with. He knew this world up and down, traveled its roads so many times he'd lost count. He hadn't met a monster he didn't recognize in years. Hadn't met one he couldn't defeat. He'd fought them so many times he had an internal encyclopedia, gladly supplying every known weakness and strength and habit of any monster he'd encounter, allowing him to dispatch it as quickly and thoroughly as possible.

It was dull, he thought. He was grateful for it sometimes. It was so dull it was mind-numbing, allowing him to just sort of.. _go. _The world would just fade out, and the next thing he knew he'd be in some old memory days later. Often he'd wake up one morning on Cosmo Canyon to find that he'd been there a week, moving and living like a machine. Sometimes he'd wake up in the mansion at Nibleheim in the company of Vincent, who never questioned him and always welcomed him. Nanaki commented at times that he should try something new. The world was full of new inventions and technology, blooming in the aftermath of a Crisis it was more than willing to forget. The new generation had so many bright and wonderful ideas, he claimed that maybe Cloud might find one interesting.

Nanaki was as perceptive as any human. Cloud didn't ignore his friend's advice, but he never took heed of it either. He tried at times. Sometimes he'd say a few extra sentences when he stopped to order a drink, or ask how a client was doing while he was waiting for them to sign-off on a delivery. Most often he'd get warm and friendly responses, invites for drinks and to do business again. Sometimes he'd accept. He never stayed for long. A few days, perhaps. Just long enough to be reminded why he never sought out new companions. The thick cord that had bonded him to his real friends was missing, and without it he felt like a ship at sea without anchor or sails or wind. Drifting endlessly with no land in sight and no anchor to put down. Aloof, he supposed.

All he had left was Vincent and Nanaki. The two only living creatures on the entirety of this planet that he still felt that pull with, that safety with. Only when he was around them did he feel his place in the world. They were his anchors, his wind and his land all together and at once. He enjoyed being with them. It was fun, sometimes. Vincent wasn't as solitary as he once was, though somehow still quite the same.

Vincent. Cloud reflected on him for a moment, remembering the way Vincent had changed after the fight with Deepground. It had been so long ago. But.. He remembered talking to Tifa once about it. How Vincent had changed, become more.. human, after it all. He was more open, Cloud guessed he could say. They could talk to him, all of them, in a way they couldn't have before. No. That wasn't right. Vincent could talk to _them_. In a way _he_ hadn't been able to before. Cloud thought that maybe after saving the world, Vincent might've accepted that as retribution for his own sins. Maybe it was because of that he allowed himself to open up a little bit, allow himself to become more sociable.

It was a lot like what Cloud had gone through with the remnants and that final time with Sephiroth. He had found his own salvation during that time, realized that although he couldn't change the past he carve out his own future. A future where he let go of regret and looked forward to what he could do with what he still had. Even if now all he had left was Nanaki and Vincent.

The three of them got together several times out of the year to trade stories and old memories, to reflect on everything they had won and lost. It was good to laugh, sometimes. And even better when he had Nanaki and Vincent to laugh with him. He enjoyed those moments more than he ever let on. They reminded him that he was still human and still real. Spending time with his friends was something he looked forward to and cherished. They would talk and reminisce. They would remember the good and the bad, reflect on decisions made and always, _always_ discuss the what ifs. All three of them knew it was impossible to change what happened, the courses that their lives have lead them. But they all secretly enjoyed the fantasy of what if, the dream like quality that came from discussing how things could have gone better.

Sometimes Cloud was terrified to consider the what if. Away from his friends his mind would always return with the retribution of what ifs. What if.. things had gone so much worse? What if.. he had lost everyone? What if... he did lose everyone? Nanaki. Vincent.. It hurt to think about it, in a dull aching thud within his chest was a pain that superseded anything he'd ever felt before. What if he lost them? The only two people left that he had to keep. What if he was left all alone, in a world that didn't know or understand him? What if he was left alone with only.. his memories... of everything. Of everyone.

It was a horrifyingly lonely existence. One he didn't think he could bear to live with. The thought clenched gripped his heart, ripping and tearing him apart from the inside with talons of fear. Cloud winced internally from the pain, his hands clenching and tightening on the handlebars of Fenrir. He didn't dare to think about it for long. His fear became anger. An intense and fierce urge to protect swelled within him, surging through his body and overwhelming his senses. Fenrir roared with the ferocity in his heart and he vowed to keep his friends for as long as he could. For as long as any of them had left. He would not let them go, never. They were his and he couldn't live without them. He'd lost so much already. He would _not_ lose more.

It was with this mind-consuming haze of ferocity that he pushed Fenrir even faster, forcing the motorbike to incredible speeds that would've surely sent anyone else spiraling out of control. Cloud had plenty of practice. He maneuvered through the broken concrete and snowy debris easily. There was only one thing on his mind right now. He _would_ protect them. With all of the strength they'd ever given him and ever will give him. Their lives were trapped in his memories and he would never let that go, never let _them_ go. He would use that strength against anything that meant them harm. Anything. Any foe, any monster. Even a gargantuan, wobbling mass of tentacles and claws he for once couldn't recognize. His mental encyclopedia shrugged at him. He didn't care. Whatever it was, it wasn't going to be a threat much longer.

His grip tightened and his teeth clenched as he lowered in his seat. Wind slashed passed him, whipping the spikes of his hair into a golden frenzy and throwing the weight of his clothes around his still body. Fenrir passed a shadow, a figure he didn't recognize nor care about. He only knew one thing. Kill that monster. Destroy the threat and _protect_.

Cloud felt energy vibrating through his body. He could practically hear First Tsurugi singing him, resonating with it's own fierce energy that mirrored his own. With a high-pitched deafening screech of rubber on iced over concrete, he lurched the weight of Fenrir back as he pulled in the brakes. The tires swung out as Fenrir screamed to the side and Cloud extended a leg for balance, never looking away from the giant heaving monstrosity that rose before him. He made out tentacles and lots of them. Arms with several joints and ending in everything from talons to claws to pincers. There were eyes everywhere, large round black things. Alien.

His lip curled. The energy continued to build within him, filling his chest with the fierce protective _need_ to destroy this threat. Remove it. Dismember it. it. Kill it. It was alien and dangerous and it was _threatening_.

The sides of Fenrir popped open. Cloud pulled out the blades in smooth, well-practiced movements. Each part of First Tsurugi called to him with it's own voice, guiding his hands until they all fit and locked together perfectly into a whole. The last piece slid together with a satisfying whisper of a song. In his hands the weapon felt alive. It whispered to him at the same time it snarled and thrummed, vibrating with the same urgency that manifested through him.

Maybe the monster heard it the cry of it's impending death. A large, black stubbed tentacle lashed through the air towards Cloud at the same time as several hundred of it's black eyes reflected his image. In the back of his head, somewhere, he felt an odd shiver. A strange, offhanded awarenessthat reminded him a lot of the place between awake and asleep. It was forgotten as quickly as it had come.

First Tsurugi flashed silver and blue and gold, the strength of his weapon flowed through him as the sword sung through the air with a single slash. It cut through the incoming tentacle easily and a large chunk of black writhing mass went flying through the air, landing on the ground far away with a sickening plop.

Cloud's eyes narrowed and he quickly dismounted Fenrir, taking a few steps back and away from the motorbike. Not once did he take his eyes away from the monster. Any moment of hesitation or distraction would be disastrous. No. He needed it to focus on him. He needed to be it's threat. He _was_ it's thread. And soon, it would be dead.

Crouching down, Cloud pulled First Tsurugi back as he felt his strength channel through his body. It flowed from him as a tangible, transparent energy that curled around him, flowing into First Tsurugi. He leapt into the air, bringing the singing weapon over his head as he twirled it in his fingers. It felt as light as any feather to him, though the familiar weight of it in his hand was comforting. It felt like it'd been so _long_ since he'd released First Tsurugi. Come to think of it.. When _had_ he last fought something? Anything?

When it felt like his aura had penetrated to the tip of the sword, Cloud swung the weapon forward. A latch clicked and rolled, and each part of First Tsurugi detached and leapt into the air. The five other parts of the blade, the hollow blade, the two back blades and two side blades, all hovered over and surrounded the monster. Blue wisps of energy curled around each blade, aimed with deadly precision at the giant, jelly-like blob of a creature before tilting upwards in unison. Cloud moved swiftly.

The world around him became a blur as he leapt higher into the air, letting go of the main blade and flying out to grab one of the hollow blades. He turned in midair as his vision was filled with golden halos of energy, striking across the monster the hollow blade slashed through the thick ooze. A roar of defiance echoed the strike and Cloud snarled as he turned again, flying to another blade. Slash. Another roar. He flew again. He felt like lightning, each pivotal moment of movement building up like thunder before the strike of another piece of First Tsurugi cracked through the air. Each strike was aimed with precision, cutting through flesh deeply until the surface of the monster was criss-crossed with gaping wounds.

Up, down and from the side, his momentum kept building until it reached a pinnacle point. He leapt into the air above the monster where the main blade of First Tsurugi hummed to him patiently. With every slash before the main blade had been gathering remnants of the energy he trailed behind him, and now the blade glowed with an intense aura that bathed the area in gold. The moment his hand grabbed the sword Cloud felt the energy explode around him, surging through his body as he turned downwards and fell, flying through the air and swinging the blade from behind him with a golden aura that erupting out from him when he struck the monster. The edge of the sword cut deeply into it's flesh with a satisfying _give_, and Cloud hurled his weight towards the ground, dragging the full length of the thick blade through the heavy gelatin carcass.

Only at the last moment did Cloud pull the main blade free, leaping away from the monster until his feet hit the ground. His legs buckled beneath him, falling into a sort of half crouch to protect his knees. Cloud felt the other pieces of First Tsurugi resonate softly as they each sunk into the ground around in, surrounding him in a wide circle. He stood up and reached out with his arm, feeling his hand curl around the main blade as it fell. Lowering it, Cloud looked up to watch the monster die.

A tremendous sense of satisfaction filled him with every cry he heard, every flail of its tentacles and limbs, every blink of it's alien and grotesque, inhuman, black eyes. He inhaled deeply, feeling his body vibrate with the thrum of victory. The anger that had consumed him before began to fade, leaving behind only a sense of a job well done. A duty he had fulfilled. He had done what he came to do. He had _protected_.

It wasn't until he was certain the monster was dead that he became suddenly conscious of his surroundings. He stretched his senses out, listening with well trained instincts for any sense of danger, anything else that could be constituted as a _threat_.

Hearing a noise from behind him Cloud turned slowly, holding the main blade in his hand loosely but knowing by the gentle thrum of energy he felt from it that the weapon was just as ready as he was to face danger. He listened more carefully, searching with his eyes for the source of the noise. Was it a threat? His grip tightened with a soft creak of leather.

"Cloud!"

Cloud turned his attention sharply to the source of the voice. He knew that voice. Vincent? Cloud's eyes narrowed at his friend's expression. Vincent was surprised. Vincent was shocked. Vincent was surprised _and_ shocked.

Vincent was never surprised. Much less _shocked_.

Warily he listened, but his senses failed to deliver any sort of threatening message to him. The area was clear and secure, safe. For now. But then what was Vincent so worried about? Cloud trusted his friend. If something was wrong he needed to know.

He stepped forward cautiously and suddenly the world around him began to fade. A thick gray fog rolled in swiftly from every corner of his vision. It startled him but he didn't feel threatened. It felt natural if anything. He almost expected it. But he didn't want to leave yet. What was wrong?

"Vincent?" He called out. Cloud was never able to change just how quiet he always sounded. It was something that just sort of stuck with him through his entire life. Even as a kid he always had a quiet voice. It was hard to try and look intimidating when he squeaked like a mouse and he understood it was just one of the reasons the other kids never seemed to care about him. But for some reason his voice sounded.. uncharacteristically _loud_ this time. He didn't yell did he?

He couldn't say anything else or get any closer. The world around him was swallowed with the gray fog, which brightened quickly until he was forced to close his eyes from the blinding light. Cloud winced, holding an arm up over his eyes he turned his head to the side. He suddenly felt very cold. A part of his mind told him he should be shivering, but other than just _feeling_ cold he didn't do anything. A tingle began to spread through his body, an almost mint-like coating of _something_ covering him. His arms and legs began to feel numb. The main blade in his hand suddenly became very heavy, heavier than it had ever been. Cloud struggled to keep holding it until his arm burned. The tingle spread out to his fingers and loosened them until the main blade fell to the floor beneath him. He never heard it hit the ground.

Cloud grunted as his knees gave out on him. The weight didn't leave him, it only became heavier. It shoved down on his body, pushing on his shoulders as he struggled to stay up. The tingling consumed his legs until he couldn't feel them anymore. Cloud gasped as he fell to all fours, seeing his fingers curl against the spongy white ground beneath him even though he wasn't able to feel himself move them. He panted for breath, wondering why it suddenly felt like he'd been fighting for months straight and running marathons. Every inch of him was consumed by that strange tingle, feeling exactly like the tingle that occurred when his limbs fell asleep on him. It was painful and ticklish all at the same time. He didn't know whether to cry out or laugh.

So he grit his teeth, clenching his jaw together until pain shot through his temple. That seemed to help a little. The weight remained solid on his back, forcing him to remain kneeling but at least he could feel a small amount of warmth spread through his limbs. He could control this. He knew he could. Whatever it was he would overcome it. It didn't feel like it was trying to hurt him, he failed to sense any sort of danger from.. whatever it was. But he knew he didn't want it to overcome him. He knew this without a doubt and he was determined to keep himself in control.

Closing his eyes tightly, Cloud bit down on his tongue harshly. The metallic sting of blood filled his mouth and he flinched, groaning slightly as the sharp pain snapped through his head. Once more a rush of warmth spread through him, fighting back the cold tingle like a tidal wave. Almost there. He could feel himself curl his fingers into a fist, clenching his hand tightly. It took a struggle, but Cloud forced his arm up and slammed his fist into the ground with all of the force he could muster. Instead of impacting with solid ground like he'd hoped, the white floor cushioned the impact. He felt absolutely nothing from it and the coldness returned with a vengeance, sweeping over him as his limbs trembled beneath its weight. Cloud gasped again as his arms gave out and he fell to his stomach. His head bounced off the spongy texture of the ground beneath him and he grimaced at the sticky texture. Damn it.

Cloud lay there for a moment, focusing all his energy to remain aware. The cold tingle that swept and settled over him was deafening his senses. He felt tired, and he knew that it was causing him to feel that way. It wanted him asleep, but he wasn't going to let that happen. He didn't understand _why_ he needed to sleep, although he could feel the urgency there. But Cloud didn't _want_ to sleep. He couldn't. Something was wrong with Vincent and he needed to find out what. He couldn't leave his friends behind.. ...damn it!

With a sudden heated rush of anger, Cloud clenched his hands into fists again and forced his shoulders off the ground. It took every inch of strength he could muster just for that small achievement, but once they were off he felt satisfied. He'd always been known to be stubborn, and he sure as hell wasn't going to disappoint. With his arms bent out at a straight ninety degree angle from him, Cloud took several deep breaths. He searched for that energy that he'd felt earlier, that purifying encompassing sense of urgency. If he could find it, he could break free of this. He knew he could. But where _was_ it? He couldn't sense it. He couldn't feel it.. and..

He became aware of a startling fact. The Lifestream. He couldn't sense it either. That itself was an oddity far greater than his current situation. He'd _always_ been able to sense the lifestream. Well, not always, but after being mucked about with mako so damn much it hadn't been too hard afterwards. Over the last century or so the whispers and telltale green energy of the lifestream had faded a little, sure. But he could always sense it there, as a thought in the back of his mind or a flavor in the back of his throat. This place though, now.. He couldn't sense _anything_. It was empty, completely and one hundred percent bleached of any and all lifestream.

Cloud had no idea what to make of it. Then it occurred to him just how weird it was for him to be here. What was he doing here, anyways? What was this place? And why was it so.. forceful? Needy. Desperate. It didn't make any sense.

From his position he looked up, his eyes moving side to side as he surveyed the blinding whiteness that surrounded him. It was made even stranger by the fact that it _should_ be familiar to him. A dreamlike quality of a landscape that he should feel warm and comforted in, a soothing blanket permeated with the scene of flowers and the soft, bell like laughter. But it was nothing like that. At all. The only resemblance was this surrounding vastness of white space, devoid of anything that was her.

Cloud hesitated for a moment. His thoughts paused. It took effort, but he twisted his torso a little and looked behind him, craning his head over his shoulder. Other than the expanse of black clothing he wore it was completely white and empty that way as well, not that he expected anything different. No.. ...wait. There was something there. He squinted, straining to see. In the back of his head he snorted. When was the last time he had to strain to see something?

Green. He saw green. Relief flooded through him and he struggled to turn further, but the heavy weight on his back didn't relent and his limbs were flooded with that irritating tingle. Cloud growled softly as he stared. The green was very faint and very, very distant. It wrinkled and rippled much like heat on a black road, hovering over the white ground beneath it with a precise distance. It seemed to be.. _searching_? Was it the Lifestream? He wondered. Stretching his senses, he attempted to reach out to it, gently resonating his energy. There was an instant backlash. Like a whip it snapped back towards him and Cloud cried out as it smashed into him with enough force to send his body sliding a few inches along the ground. It didn't stop there.

Suddenly everything in his vision was green, brilliant intense and cold and warm all at the same time. It coated him and surrounded him with a sudden ferocity of protective excitement that it nearly overwhelmed him. He gasped for air beneath the assault-?- and closed his eyes tightly against the light. Even still he could see green, it filled his mind and snaked through his head with the coiling speed of any striking serpent. His head exploded with vibrancy, green fluctuating to purple and blue and silver and gold and then green again, spiraling around each other until they gathered into a pinprick where everything exploded _again_ and the entire process was started again.

The initial pain of the sudden insurgence faded, leaving him with a dull ache in his head and a strange sense of an unknown familiarity. As quickly as it had begun it left, the light dimming into an overwhelming pinkish black as it settled into the back of his head somewhere. His eyes remained closed and he knew that when he opened them he'd still be surrounded by white. He kept them closed.

_You're awake__. _

His eyes snapped open.

**.:`'~ Legacy ~'`:.**

"Leon, your ears are bleeding!"

Squall looked up at Saitek from across the cabin of the helicopter, staring at the Lienliek for several long, empty-minded seconds. "...What?" He finally responded, his voice practically a drawl. The entire trip thus far he hadn't said a word, his thoughts far too gone in concern for the lost Rinoa. He'd been so deep in thought that for a moment he wondered if he'd fallen asleep when Saitek had shouted.

"Your ears! They're bleeding!" Saitek squealed, hopping over the distance and standing up on his back legs, bracing himself with his front paws on the wall of the chopper next to Squall's head. The Lienliek looked nervously at him and motioned with his nose.

Squall reached up and touched his fingertips to his ears, picking at a softly crusted texture. Looking at his fingers afterwards confirmed dried blood and he looked at it curiously, rubbing his thumb and forefinger together as small pieces flecked off. It didn't take long to figure out why and where it had come from. He internally winced at the memory of the sharp pain that had seared through his head when he'd used that damned materia. He was never.. ever.. _ever_ drawing from materia again.

"Don't worry about it." He finally said, wiping his hand off on the side of his pants as before resettling his weight against the wall. Clasping his hands behind his head he looked at the roof of the helicopter they had confiscated. It had been a lucky chance they'd taken, and despite the doubt it was a surprising find that not only had a helicopter survived the carnage of the Northern Shinra Base, but a lot of the military vehicles had survived. Or rather, been left intact. Vincent seemed certain they'd been purposely left in working order, though for what Squall had no idea. Vincent didn't seem too inclined to elaborate on anything that had occurred at the base until they'd reached Cosmo Canyon. The gunman had also insisted on destroying the vehicles before they'd left, and their helicopter had flown into the distance as balls of fire and streaks of lightning made quick work of the vehicles left behind.

Vincent was a jack of all trades, it would appear, as Squall glanced in the direction of the cockpit, catching the back profile of the mysterious gunner as he piloted the helicopter with a comfortable ease. Squall's stormy gray eyes narrowed coldly. No matter how many times he demanded and asked for information, Vincent refused to give any. Instead he had calmly and coldly informed the SeeD commander that only after they returned to Cosmo Canyon would he explain the situation. It was infuriating because Squall knew he couldn't force the information out of Vincent. He'd never been an impatient man, but the longer it took to find Rinoa the more time there'd be for something _really_ bad to happen.

The only thing he'd been assured of was that Rinoa was alive. Despite the relief he should feel for that, the manner and tone in which the information had been delivered did anything but calm his anxiety.

Squall hissed softly between his teeth, attempting to defuse some of the tense energy that suddenly took over his body. He decided to focus his mind on something else and see if it would help any, as sitting here and fuming about the matters was anything but constructive. Saitek fortunately could be counted on for this.

"But your ears were bleeding!" The Lienliek squawked, shaking his head at the calm, monotonous tone Leon had used to dismiss such a worrisome injury. "Does your head hurt Leon? Oh man this can't be good! When did they start bleeding? Did you hit your head?! I don't have fingers!" (3)

Squall stared at him.

Saitek whimpered, his tail waving dejectedly in the air as Squall sighed softly. "No. It's from earlier. I'm fine." He muttered, attempting to appease the Lienliek's worries.

"Don't die on me Leon~" Whined the cub again, his face an expression of absolute misery as he stared wide-eyed at Squall, whimpers echoing in his throat.

Squall scowled softly. "I'm not dying." The cub's concern was nice, but also a bit annoying.

Unfortunately this did nothing to ease the cub's fears. Saitek whimpered again, placing all four paws on the floor of the helicopter as he bumped his head against Squall's knee. Noticing the flat-eared, devastated look on the cub's face, Squall hesitated a moment before he lay a hand on the space between Sai's ears, ruffling the fur lightly in a small attempt to comfort the unsettled creature. Taking this as encouragement, Saitek hopped onto the bench that Squall was seated on, lowering himself to all fours and resting head on Squall's knee.

"I worry about ya Leon." Saitek finally mumbled after several long minutes of comfortable silence, enjoying the small moment of affection from the stone-cold fighter.

Several long _blessed_ minutes of silence, Squall thought. "Don't."

Saitek's eyes looked up at him. "You'd tell me if you was hurt, right?" He asked hesitantly, attempting to hide the small amount of hope in his voice in favor of trying to appear certain.

Squall shrugged, saying nothing. He knew better.

The Lienliek cub sighed and closed his eyes. His first adventure had ended rather well, he thought. He'd gotten to travel over land he'd never seen before, fight monsters in his first real battles and helped save the day by fighting that really big, ugly, stinky monster. Saitek shivered from the memory of it. It had felt so.. _unnatural_, that monster. Where had it come from? Had it always been there? Were there more of them? Would they have to fight them too? What if they were already all over the world? These questions and many more played out in devastating scenarios in his active imagination and he forced them away quickly.

Think about the positive, he told himself. He got to travel with Leon, who was like the most awesome and amazing fighter ever! He still couldn't believe how Leon fought, like a super awesome.. superhero or something! And he looked so _coooool_ fighting with the gunblade. Every time he'd gotten a chance to take a breather he'd look over to see Leon punching a tentacle in the face, or slicing through a claw or casting magic, and he always had these awesome poses. Sai was pretty certain Leon didn't realize just how freaking awesome he looked when he fought. Like something straight out of one of his father's stories.

Saitek sighed softly at the happy thought, his head nuzzling closer against Leon's leg. "I can't wait to get home. I'm so pooped." He murmured sleepily and it wasn't too much longer before he was suddenly out like a light.

Squall looked down at the cub, his fingers curling in the soft red fur on top of the Lienliek's head. He wasn't too bad, he thought. A little easily overexcited and too enthusiastic, but not bad. Still, he enjoyed the silence left behind as Saitek fell asleep. He tilted his head back again, fingers gently scratching the red fur beneath them as he secretly enjoyed the small amount of heat radiating from the cat creature. Inhaling a deep breath he let it go in a deep sigh and slowly closed his eyes, forcing himself to relax and conserve his energy.

"Squall."

His eyes snapped open, Vincent's deep voice catching him off guard. It took all of his control not to jump in reflex. He looked over to the cockpit with a scowl, noticing that Vincent hadn't moved from the pilot seat but from the vague, transparent reflection he caught in the cockpit window he could see the man's strange crimson eyes staring at him.

"What?" Squall muttered darkly. He had no wish to speak with Vincent about anything that didn't include Rinoa, though he seriously doubted the gunman was about to indulge him.

"Where did you find that materia?" Vincent asked, his voice floating back as guarded and frozen curiosity.

There was no need to clarify what materia he was talking about, although Squall did, for a moment, entertain the thought of misinterpreting what he meant and pulling out the fire materia. But 'that materia' was quite simply 'the' materia. The dull, amber orb sitting like deadweight in Squall's pocket, radiating it's own strange warmth that somehow had pulled Vincent into it's orbit.

"Where's Rinoa." Squall countered him evenly, meeting the guarded red eyes of Vincent with his own solid, heated stare of his own. A bargain was mentally exchanged. Information for information. They both were well aware of the negotiable terms, whether or not one of them were the first to cave in was debatable.

Silence ran through the air as cold as any northern wind, sending the temperature plummeting several degrees. Metaphorical ice coated the interior of the helicopter and it wasn't until the first shard cracked did Vincent finally speak, keeping his voice low and a little gravelly.

"I don't know."

Squall's eyes narrowed and his body tensed, anger flushing through him. "What do you mean you don't know?" He snapped, glaring at the other man's back. Minutes passed. It didn't seem like Vincent was going to elaborate at all. Squall waited a few moments longer. "You were supposed to take care of her." He growled out finally, unable to hold back his temper. Maybe he could get more information out of the guy this way.

At this Vincent looked back at him through the reflection of the cockpit window, and Squall narrowed his eyes. He was a little startled to see a strange guarded affliction in Vincent's eyes. The man was thinking about something, very carefully. Squall waited patiently, feeling his heart clench in his chest with dread. Maybe he didn't want to hear. He was almost grateful when he saw the gunner's crimson eyes flash, moments before they shut down again.

"I'll tell you everything when we reach Cosmo Canyon." Vincent began, his deep voice breaking the frozen silence. "Now. Where did you get that materia?"

This time when he looked at Vincent's reflection, he was taken aback by the sudden ..._ferocity_ in the other's eyes. It strangely reminded him a lot of Seifer after Seifer had joined the sorceress. Seifer had found a purpose in serving the witch, Squall knew. A purpose in which Seifer felt perfectly capable of fulfilling his dream with. His _romantic_ dream he had called it. It was too bad he hadn't realized he'd been controlled by the sorceress. It had all been fake.

But this wasn't controlled by anything. This was real. Squall was aware from the moment he met Vincent on the battlefield that the man was well experienced with war and death. Vincent was professional, trained. Sort of like a SeeD but only more.. deadly. A trained killer. Every shot he'd taken had hit a marked point, every movement he'd made as he'd been dancing through the air was controlled and finely tuned. This man knew what he'd been doing and had done it plenty of times before. He was aware of an objective and perused every end to achieve it.

His new objective was apparently the small amber orb sitting snugly in Squall's pocket. Which meant, Squall knew, that he was between Vincent and his objective. He mentally dared the gunner to try getting past him. As long as he had this materia, he had a bargaining tool. Squall wasn't ignorant when it came to resources, and he was fully aware of the valuable tool he'd stumbled across. He wasn't going to let it go so easily, at least.. Not until he had Rinoa back.

He wasn't going to admit that there was still something very smug feeling about having it, either. He had no idea _why_ he should care about having it in his possession, but he'd found it. Had been lead to it really, and wasn't going to give it up without something as equally valuable in return. He sort of felt responsible for it, he guessed. Though this boggled his mind. Why would he feel responsible over a dull red marble?

Squall pushed the thought in the back of his head. It didn't matter. Since Vincent offered a piece of useless information, he'd return the favor. "A forest." He answered, his voice flat, unmoving as he returned the hardening glare smoothly. He was pretty sure that if it were possible, Vincent's eyes would have been _glowing_. It was a little strange, though. Because the moment he said 'forest' something seemed to click. A brief, hesitant recognition dawned in Vincent's eyes and the gunner looked away, staring ahead as Squall could see the stream of thoughts running through the other's head.

He'd meant it to be as vague an answer as possible, but apparently Vincent had gotten something out of it anyways. He scowled mentally. What could he have possibly given away? All he said was a forest, that was all Vincent had to go by. How could he possibly get _anything_ out of a forest? Squall had to have seen plenty of them during his short time on this world.

Then again, he reminded himself, he had only seen one with glowing trees.

**.:`'~ Legacy ~'`:.**

Nanaki had already been informed of the Shinra Helicopter's arrival. Vincent had called ahead just a quarter of an hour ago to inform him of the group's arrival. He'd been so relieved to hear that, and even more relieved that it sounded like everyone was okay. But, something else was wrong. He'd heard it in Vincent's voice. Nanaki doubted anyone else but him would've picked up on it. Vincent was as quiet and unforgiving as he always was with his words, but Nanaki was well trained in the ways of Vincent. Something was up.

He'd quickly gathered Denneh and Cheyna, grabbing Bogo along the way, just in case. If anyone _was_ hurt, Bogo was the first human Nanaki would pick to treat them. He'd do it himself, but lacking fingers made the application of bandages and generic first aid a little tricky.

Now they waited, grouped together and staring at the skyline as a black speck slowly began to grow larger. He knew that he and his family could already pick up the repetitive _whomp whomp_ of the helicopter's blades as they swept through the air, but Bugo probably wouldn't hear it for another minute or so. Nanaki paced anxiously, shifting his weight nervously as the helicopter got close enough that it stirred up dust and dirt beneath their feet. He felt Denneh gently nuzzle him with her nose, attempting to soothe his nerves. Cheyna stood on his other side, jumping up and down with excitement. She was worried, he knew, but she was also still young and full of the belief in youthful invincibility. Nothing _could_ happen to Saitek as far as she was concerned, and now that he was back he'd have a lot of wonderful new stories to tell her.

He closed his eyes and turned his head away from the dirt kicked into the air as the helicopter finally landed. His mane whipped against his thickly muscled neck and he heard Bugo coughing in the background of the muffled helicopter blades. The engine whined as it shut down and when he looked back at the helicopter the blades had suddenly reversed direction as they slowed. A trick of the eyes, he knew, but always dizzying.

The door to the helicopter slid open and Vincent stood there, his red cape swirling around him like a thing alive. He stepped down and walked towards them. Nanaki watched him very carefully, dipping his head in greeting as he offered a big-toothed smile. "Vincent!" He called happily. It'd been too long since he'd last seen his friend. He was excited to see him, but now it was more obvious than ever that something was _truly_ wrong. Vincent walked with a purpose, his dark aura permeating the air around him so thickly Nanaki swore he could almost smell it. And beneath that he sensed.. anticipation? Excitement? _What's happened my friend?_

Vincent nodded his head towards the Lienliek, and although he didn't smile Nanaki could still see the sentiment in his eyes. "Nanaki. It's good to see you."

"Indeed!" Nanaki answered quickly. "It'll be good to catch up on things...?" He let his sentence trailed with a lightly raised question and Vincent nodded once in confirmation. Something _was_ wrong.

Fearfully, he looked past the red-caped gunman. Relief swept through him as he saw his son, standing side by side with Squall (Leon! Shouted the mental Saitek) and looking absolutely.. ..._healthy_. He let go of a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding just as he heard Cheyna shout, "Saaaaaiii!"

A whirl of movement exploded from his side and the small cub tore across the distance. For a second Saitek's eyes widened and Squall strategically took one step to the side just moments before Cheyna's lighter colored body pummeled into her brothers.

"AHHH!" Saitek shouted, knocked back into the helicopter from the weight of his sister's momentum.

Nanaki heard a huff of amusement from next to him and looked over to see Denneh watching the cubs with adoration, a fierce look of possessiveness in her eyes. He smiled at her and nudged her shoulder with his head. "Go on." He told her, "Make sure he's alright."

Denneh turned her head and looked at him, her eyes sparkling with relieved tears. She tenderly brushed her nose over his cheek, then suddenly she was gone. A whirl of dust left behind her paws as she tore through the short distance. A moment later and twin screams of horror erupted from the cubs as their mother tackled them into the floor of the helicopter, laughter howling as she undoubtedly tickled them to death.

Nanaki felt pride surge within him and his chest expanded from the sudden intake. His family. _His_ family. A family he once thought he'd never have. A generation. A _future_. Grandfather had been right. And maybe.. maybe there were still more to be found.

"Where's Nustle?" Bugo spoke up from behind the overwhelmed Lienliek, looking first at Vincent than at Squall tentatively. He frowned, hoping nothing happened to the poor bird. It was one of his favorites, one of his most loyal.

"The helicopter wasn't big enough for him." Squall explained, seeing as how Vincent wasn't too keen on doing anything but staring at Nanaki for awhile. He unfolded his arms as he moved away from the helicopter and the ruckus contained within it, though mentally he was happy that Saitek had such a joyful reunion with his family. He was a good kid.. ...thing. Thing kid. He deserved it. Though that didn't stop Squall from feeling a little rejected. Even Vincent had someone to be glad to see. Squall, on the other hand.. had.. no one.

"I see." Bugo's clipped voice sounded guarded and unhappy. Squall mentally sighed.

"I'm sure he'll be fine." Nanaki suddenly spoke up, turning his head away from Vincent, whom he'd been sharing an mental conversation with, towards Bugo. "Nustle is a smart chocobo. He'll stay safe until we can retrieve him."

"Hope so." Grumbled Bugo, clearly not happy at losing his best bird, even temporarily. He was comforted by Nanaki's words, though. They reminded him that Nustle was a resourceful bird and as stubborn as any other. He'd be fine. Bugo would make sure to send someone to retrieve him quickly. No point in taking chances, right?

"Ooowwwww! Moooom! Cheeeeyynnnaa! Leeegggoo!" Saitek wailed from the helicopter. Cheyna had him pinned down with her measly weight and his mom was nuzzling and licking him like he was a new born. It was embarrassing!

Denneh laughed at him, dragging her coarse tongue over his cheek. He groaned loudly. "Moooom~"

"Okay. Okay." She relented, licking her muzzle and grinning with white, sharp teeth at him. "I'm glad you're home Saitek."

"Yeah yeah yeah." He mumbled.

"Don't you yeah yeah yeah her!" Cheyna huffed, jumping on his chest and knocking the air from him. Saitek wheazed. "We've been worried sick about you, you little snot!" Cheyna continued, growling at him as she flattened her ears.

"Cheeeeyna." Denneh warned, and the cub's ears erected again as she looked sheepish.

"Sorry mom."

"Now let your brother up."

Cheyna reluctantly hopped off of him. Saitek quickly jumped up and leapt out of the helicopter, trotting up to Squall and puffing out his chest proudly as he looked up at the fighter. Saitek's ears drooped a little. Leon looked funny. Kinda.. sad, almost. Now this won't do at all! He butted his head against Leon's leg. "Hey!" he called, catching the fighter's absentminded attention. "We made it!" He grinned, waving his tail excitedly in the air and shifting his weight from paw to paw.

Squall looked down at Saitek quietly, feeling a tiny, _tiny_ he firmly told himself, amount of relief at the Lienliek's company. He may not have his friends or Rinoa... but.. At least Saitek was glad to see him. Impulsively, he knelt down and scratched between Saitek's ears, scruffing his fur with his fingertips. "Guess we did." He agreed, allowing himself a small mental smile at the look of adoration in the cub's eyes. Kind of annoying at times.. but it was also kind of nice.

Saitek's grin grew wide and his eyes widened as Squall scratched his ears. He purred loudly and growled in excitement, his tail madly waving behind him. Holy cow! Leon was displaying _affection?! _He _is_ a human! He laughed out loud at the thought, leaning into the touch just as Leon's hand quickly pulled away. Aww. Maybe he overdid it. Damn it. Play it cool, he reminded himself, or you scare Leon's humanness away. Saitek barked a laugh.

He looked up to see everyone looking at them and grinned sheepishly, lowering his tail a notch. Saitek cleared his throat apologetically.

"Nanaki." Vincent spoke up. "We have a lot to discuss."

Nanaki nodded, turning his head away from Squall and Leon. "Alright. Bugo and Denneh can take the cubs and Squ-"

"Leon!"

-"-_Leon_ back to the canyon-"

"I'm coming too."

Nanaki looked over at Squall, surprised, who was staring at Vincent with a rigid expression. He looked at Vincent, who wasn't paying Squall any attention, but nodded anyways. "He needs to come as well."

"...Alright then." Nanaki relented cautiously, suddenly becoming aware of a thick hostile air between Squall(Leon!!) and Vincent. He turned back to his family briefly, "Go back to the Canyon. We'll be home soon."

Denneh nodded in understanding, quickly trotting over with Cheyna at her heels. She bumped Saitek in the shoulder on her way. "Come along Sai, I bet you're hungry. Let's get you something to eat and.." Her nose crinkled.

"But Mooo-"

"Don't but me. Get moving. You also need a bath." She huffed for emphasis. Cheyna giggled and crinkled her nose as well, following along. Saitek swatted at her absently, looking up at Leon.

_Will you be okay? _He thought,_ willing _his thoughts to the fighter.

Leon, who was locked in a frozen expression of a death glare that _surely_ would've worked if Vincent had been paying attention, turned his attention to Saitek instead. He stared at the cub for a moment and Saitek held his breath, hoping. A brief moment passed and Leon nodded slightly. Saitek felt his heart surge with joy. He got it! Saitek practically beamed his enthusiasm, quickly turning away and bounding off with his family.

In the aftermath only Vincent, Squall and Nanaki were left, standing in a loose, dented triangle with the helicopter's blades hovering over them. A quiet silence flowed eerily through the air around them. Nanaki was the first one to break it.

"What's happened?" He asked, his eyes locked on Vincent.

Vincent, the unshakeable professional and trained ex-turk, shifted. He looked down at Nanaki for a long moment, and the Lienliek was easily able to read the range of thoughts, questions and concerns that ran through his friend's head. Something had happened, something tremendously important. Something that had never affected Vincent this way, not for hundreds of years. It was good and it was bad, and it seemed like Vincent wasn't sure what to make of it.

That was terrifying.

Vincent's head turned to Squall suddenly, staring at the mercenary silently, who met his stare with one of his own. Both wore stony expressions, each one infallible and unrelenting. Squall was determined to find out what happened and didn't trust Vincent because of it, and Vincent who knew way too much.

Nanaki frowned as a sudden observation occurred to him. Wasn't there supposed to be one more..?

"...I think.." Vincent began slowly, and there was another moment of silence as he tried to convey his thoughts into words that might actually make _sense_. He knew they wouldn't. So he only said one of them. "...Jenova."

Everything froze.

Squall couldn't make out _why_ everything froze. But it did. Like a moment that suddenly popped out of the timeline and decided to stand it's own ground, demanding to be left alone for all of eternity. He didn't move, glancing back and forth between Vincent and Nanaki. Vincent looked determined about what he said, confident.. whereas Nanaki looked absolutely floored. That was the only way to describe it. The Lienliek's eyes were wide and his expression one of tremendous confusion, doubt and surprise.

Slowly Nanaki began to speak, carefully keeping his voice as even as possible. "...What.. do you mean?" He asked, unsure of what exactly Vincent was getting at. That name.. Jenova. It was an atrocious thing to say. They hadn't spoken of that name in hundreds of years. It was sort of forbidden, on some subconscious level. They could remember, they _had_ to remember. But to speak the name was something none of them did, not even Cloud when he'd been around. Especially Cloud. So why now?

Vincent kept his eyes locked with Nanaki, ignoring Squall for the moment, though he was full aware of just how intensely the other was watching him. He decided not to jump around the issue. It was always best to get straight to the point. A waste of time could mean the difference between victory and failure. "When I arrived at the Northern Shinra Base," he began, cutting the story, "I was asked to investigate a strange occurrence in the Northern Crater. Something crashed there and escaped. By the time I made it back to the base it had been destroyed. Soldiers were turning into monsters and killing each other, turning everyone they touched into monsters with them. Rinoa Heartilly had already been consumed by the alien and was leading the attack." He heard Squall's sharp exhale and ignored it, keeping his eyes on Nanaki, who, if possible, looked pale.

"At first, I wasn't sure." He admitted quietly. "But I am certain that the Rinoa I had escorted to the base was human. The thing I shot was not."

Movement flickered from his side and Vincent lifted his golden hand just in time to block Squall from grabbing him. He looked over at the SeeD from over the golden reflection in the gauntlet to see the other glaring at him with a burning hatred, a seething anger that was so powerful he could feel it clawing at his skin. Offhandedly, he noted that the strange, practically antique gunblade was in the fighter's other hand, gleaming dangerously in the darkening sun of the canyon. He'd noticed the weapon during the fight with that monstrosity; of which he suspected to be a malformed and mutated General Canon. Vincent hadn't seen a proper gunblade in over five hundred years. A sword in the last three hundred. It was basically a forgotten art in this time, where technology and guns reigned supreme. This young man appeared to be able to wield the thing quite proficiently. Vincent respected that.

This however, demeaned that respect. He'd known Squall would act violently. He also knew full well and was prepared for the other to vehemently deny anything and everything Vincent was about to tell them. One of the main concerns which forced him to wait until Cosmo Canyon before informing him of Rinoa's fate. Nanaki at least would be a voice of reason, an accountable witness and able to confirm what Vincent had to say. It would save a lot of trouble.

Vincent never did like being attacked. He'd come to accept it as an unstoppable thing, though. Something that was always bound to happen at some point in time. It didn't mean he enjoyed it. His eyes narrowed at the SeeD, who continued to glare at him with all of the anger in his being.

"You _shot_ her?!" Squall snarled, pushing against the golden metal that held him back. Anger blinded him and he swung the gunblade up in an arc, only to have it quickly deflected with a spark of metal on metal as Vincent pushed him back, deflecting the blade with the gauntlet at the same time. Before he could blink or retaliate, the gunner was several meters away. His human hand hidden partially beneath the red velvet confines of his tattered cloak. Squall didn't need to think twice about what was hidden there. For this reason alone he didn't step forward again, though he did hold up his gun blade in preparation, both hands gripping the handle tightly. "You told me she was safe!"

_Rinoa. _This bastard would pay. He'd make him pay.

Vincent seemed unnaturally calm for the moment, staring back at Squall quietly. Squall growled at the silence, tensing as he prepared to just kill him and get it over with. It might not bring Rinoa back, but it would make him feel better.

"Squall," Nanaki's quiet voice interrupted his murderous thoughts, gently breaking through the haze of fury that shrouded him. "If Vincent says she is safe, you have no one better to confide your hopes in." He explained quietly, attempting to defuse the situation peacefully even as the weight of what Vincent said settled into his mind. Rinoa was the girl Squall had left to save, his friend. But if she wasn't human anymore.. if Nanaki understood the full implication of Vincent's words.. ..Did that really mean.. Was Jenova really..? He swallowed heavily. If that were the case, Rinoa was indeed safe. Most likely not Rinoa, but safe.

Squall didn't seem to hear him. Nanaki's words faded quickly beneath the anger he felt, burning through his veins like a thing alive. He felt angry, he felt betrayed. He had trusted Rinoa to this man, but he hadn't kept his word. He'd even lied about it. And Squall.. and Squall.. ...had trusted him.. Squall had failed her. He choked on an inhaled breath, his voice breaking as he argued, "He shot her!"

"She healed." Vincent's deep voice responded smoothly.

Squall hesitated. "What do you mean?" It wasn't impossible to believe. A potion or a Cura could heal a gunshot wound. Did he heal her afterwards? It didn't stop the fact that he had shot her! And if she was still alive then where was she?!

"My bullets did not injure her anymore than static charge could have." Vincent explained, noticing the release of some tension built up in Squall. He slowly relaxed his hand, keeping a close observation on the young man. His words held a double meaning, one which Nanaki understood completely. If Cerberus hadn't harmed her...

"Then where is she?" Squall demanded, his anger fading, forfeiting it's blinding bloodlust for the clarity of a frozen tundra.

"I don't know." Vincent said, keeping his eyes on Squall despite the continued release of energy rippling away from him, "She healed and retreated. I did not have a chance to pursue her before she summoned that monster." Again, his words went two ways. A calming explanation to Squall and a terrifying observation for Nanaki. (4)

"Monster?" Nanaki asked, interrupting them. He hoped Squall's anger was defused enough that he could ask the question safely, to get the conversation back on an appropriate track. Or rather, a more pressing one.

"Yes." Vincent turned back to Nanaki after a moment, keeping a note on Squall through his peripheral. "It wasn't one I've seen before." Again there was a double meaning behind those words, one that Nanaki understood. Jenova had new tricks, if this was Jenova. It had to be.. He suddenly realized. It explained why then the Lifestream was returning. The scientists had sent him the message a mere hour before Vincent had contacted him. If what they said was true then the Lifestream had begun returning a few days ago.. which coincided also with.. ...Shinra shooting that rock down. That.. ...meteor. Nanaki's eyes widened.

"Could it really be..." He whispered to himself, feeling a horrible jerk of dread stirring in his body. They thought they had killed her, destroyed her and everything she'd left behind. Sephiroth, the Geostigma. The only part of her left was in Cloud and he's been gone for three hundred years. But if this was her as well then they must've missed something. ….Or maybe nothing. What if she had more cells? Traveling the cosmos as a disease.. It made sense. And they just happened to shoot it down..

Nanaki fell to his stomach weakly, swallowing heavily. Vincent didn't move, although Squall looked over at the sudden movement. He slowly lowered his gun blade. What was going on?

"What is it?" He asked, meaning everything. They would need to explain to him the severity of this situation, he felt like he was completely missing out. What was Jenova? Why did it have Rinoa? What did he mean by.. not human?

Seeing as Nanaki was currently overwhelmed, Vincent looked back at Squall. "Jenova was an alien life form which crashed to our planet two and a half thousand years ago. She obliterated roughly one half of the population before she was captured and sealed away. Five hundred years ago she was unearthed and through the displacement of her cells nearly destroyed our planet. We thought we had defeated her." Vincent thought about shrugging, finally conceding to tilting his head instead. "It would seem we were wrong."

"What's this have to do with Rinoa?" Squall growled.

"Jenova is an alien virus. She infects the life forms of those on the planet she inhabits, controlling and using them to infect everything she comes into contact with. Once she destroys all living life, she uses the dead shell of the planet as a vessel, traveling to the next and repeating the process." Vincent could see the words click in Squall's head.

"You mean she's infected?" Squall asked, suddenly very guarded. Infected..? By a damn virus? An alien virus?!

Vincent nodded sharply. Squall clenched his jaw. Great. "Is there a cure?"

Immediately Nanaki and Vincent exchanged looks. Nanaki looked fearful and.. puzzled, whereas Vincent looked thoughtful and negative. It was a mixed exchange and Squall got no answers from it.

"Not.. that we know of." Nanaki finally said slowly, his voice weak. He felt nauseous.

Squall didn't like the way that sounded one bit. "Can she saved?" His words clipped off and he bit his tongue.

"..We can try." Was the Lienliek's hesitant answer.

Suddenly Vincent jerked his head back towards Squall, red eyes blazing with a renewed thought. "There is only one person I know of who would know how." He said, his voice heavy with implication.

By the confused look Nanaki gave him, Squall could guess that the Lienliek didn't understand what Vincent meant. Neither did he, really. Squall kept his face frozen, his eyes guarded and stern. He waited.

"Your materia." Vincent continued, holding out his golden taloned hand, "Let me see it."

"?" The audible question mark practically floated over Nanaki's head (5) as he looked between both Squall and Vincent. What did Vincent mean?

Squall hesitated. Essentially his questions had been answered, but as a result he had a thousand more. The materia was still all he really had as a bargaining chip, although.. Now that he was in Cosmo Canyon, he couldn't help but trust that Nanaki wouldn't treat him wrongly. In a way he trusted the beast, as strangely Moomba-like as it was. Besides. Squall was pretty sure who it was Vincent was talking about. Whatever or whoeever the summon was, it had something to do with it.

Reluctantly he lowered his gun blade completely, letting go with one hand and reaching into a pocket of his fur-trimmed coat. His fingers curled around the smooth, glistening marble and he pulled it out, holding it tightly in his fist as he stared at Vincent. The gunman stared back calmly, his crimson eyes flashing anxiously. Squall felt a tendril of that anger flickering in his chest again. He still didn't trust him.

With a swift movement Squall flicked his wrist and tossed the materia at him. Vincent's arm shot out and the small amber marble clinked as his metal gauntlet snatched it from the air. His golden talons curled around the orb and he lowered his hand, staring at Squall with a cold, _unappreciative_ gaze.

Vincent looked down at his hand, staring at the dull glistening amber between his golden claws. Could he really be in there? It was incredibly hard to believe. How? And why? ..Is this what happened to him three hundred years ago? It had taken so long for Vincent to finally convince himself Cloud was gone and dead; that he was less one more important person in his life. It had been a horrible transition to make. Out of all of them he had felt the closest to Cloud. The two of them had gone through so many similar things. They had understood each other on a level that Vincent would never admit to. His grip tightened.

"Cloud." He finally said out loud, tearing his sudden heavy eyes away from the materia and looking at Nanaki, who looked incredibly confused.

"..Cloud?" Nanaki echoed, staring at Vincent oddly. His head tilted. Yes.. Cloud would definitely be the one to turn to, he supposed. It was always like that though, wasn't it? They'd all depended on him before to defeat Jenova. To defeat Sephiroth. To defeat Geostigma and the Remnants. Cloud had been their friend. Their leader, their tragically cursed hero. But he was gone. He'd left three hundred years ago and never returned. Vincent, Nanaki knew, had scoured the ends of Gaea for him several years after realizing he'd never returned. As far as Nanaki knew, Vincent had never found him. What if he had? But then why hadn't he told him?

And what was wrong with that materia? Why did Vincent hold it so? And speak with such a strange voice. He doubted Squall could receive it, but Nanaki fully picked up on how.. choked, it had sounded coming from his friend. A rare thing indeed. He knew that losing Cloud was difficult for Vincent, but.. He'd gotten over it. He'd hoped so, anyways.

In the back of Squall's head he found it mildly humorous how the word Cloud was being thrown around. Someone's name, he guessed, obviously. Someone important, probably. And definitely someone he needed to talk to if it meant saving Rinoa. Hadn't Vincent called the summon Cloud? ...So this summon was it, then? Well, that was easily fixed. He'd just summon it aga-.. Squall winced internally, recalling how painful the experience had been. It was only a moment of hesitation. Nothing more. He'd do it a hundred times over if it meant saving Rinoa and getting her back.

Vincent hesitated. "..While we were fighting, Squall.. summoned this materia. It was Cloud." The way he said summon was difficult and strange, he wanted to spit it out like a curse at the thought of Cloud being 'summoned'. Cloud who had given everything he had to saving this planet, now used as a weapon himself. Shamefully, he hoped Squall would be able to summon him again.

Nanaki blinked. "...Cloud was summoned?" Vincent nodded once, his red eyes staring at the amber orb quietly. "May I see it?" Nanaki stepped forward as Vincent knelt down, holding the orb in front of him. He uncurled his golden talons slowly, gently cradling it in his palm as Nanaki approached and lowered his head. Nanaki inspected the materia, noting the dull, lackluster color of its surface. A dead materia, then. "Was it glowing before?" He asked. Vincent looked up at Squall.

"Not really." Squall answered, pulling his gunblade up and resting it over his shoulder.

"Then how did it work?" Nanaki asked, confused and trying to make sense of things. Cloud was in a summon materia? Or.. Cloud was a summon? But how? He'd never heard anything like it. Not even from his grandfather. How could it happen? Cloud had been alive and well and.. ...Oh. …._Oh_. Nanaki blinked as realization hit him. Of course. It made sense. Materia was crystallized mako, mako was condensed Lifestream, and the Lifestream was every memory, thought, experience and spirit that ever lived, have lived, will live and is currently living on the planet's surface. If Cloud had died.. ..with all of his successes and all of his power, because he had essentially saved the planet.. ...Would the planet had preserved that memory?

Squall shrugged after a moment, already familiar with the disbelief of 'dead' materia working. "I drew it." He answered, thinking a moment before explaining, "It's an ability you receive when you junction with a guardian force. You're able to draw magic. Mostly from draw points and other monsters. I assume materia is the equivalent of our draw points."

Nanaki looked up suddenly, fixing Squall with a very confused look. He felt like his head was going to explode. First Jenova, then Cloud, and now this? What was he _talking_ about? "I don't understand." He said quickly, feeling more than a little overwhelmed at all of the information.

Vincent spoke up for him. "Rinoa and Squall are not from our world, Nanaki." He explained quietly, his thoughts elsewhere. He turned his head and fixed Squall with a pointed look for not explaining the entirety of his situation with the Lienliek, when without a doubt Nanaki had been more than gracious to him as a host.

Squall ignored it, continuing to speak to Nanaki instead. "I couldn't tell you because I wasn't sure if you would believe me. It felt safer that way." Then he continued with his original point, "Regardless, that's how it worked." Squall frowned briefly. Rinoa told Vincent about them? ...He couldn't blame her for it. It was something so entirely Rinoa he'd never be able to be upset at the loose lipped information. If anything he was a bit relieved Vincent had believed her, as well as the fact that now he didn't have to worry about it anymore.

Nanaki breathed in heavily, sitting back on his haunches. Vincent stood, curling his hand around the materia again as he stared at it thoughtfully. "Squall. Do you think you could try summoning him again?" It felt so odd saying that. He almost felt like he was.. betraying Cloud somehow.

Squall didn't like the idea of doing it again. But he reminded himself that it was for Rinoa. He nodded slightly. "I can try." He walked over, reaching a hand out for the materia. Vincent turned towards him and reluctantly handed it over, reminding himself that if this worked then they could find out what happened to Cloud.

Once the weight of the materia was in his hand Squall bit his tongue inside his mouth. This was going to hurt. He was _not_ looking forward to it. But, he again argued, he had no choice. He'd do anything for Rinoa. This was a testament to that. He owed her this. She was counting on him. He would not let her down. He closed his eyes, hearing a soft shuffle of weight. Probably Nanaki. Turning away from the two of them, Squall held the handle of his gunblade to his forehead, the blade of his weapon upright in the air. He concentrated on the orb in his hand, mentally preparing himself for the backlash he was going to feel. Steadying his feet shoulder width apart, he stretched out his senses gently. Maybe if he did this more slowly now that he had the time it wouldn't hurt.

At first he felt nothing. It was strange and for a small split second of time he remembered that materia might have to recharge, if the fire materia had been any indication. But then quietly he felt something stirring in the back of his head, exhaustedly making its way to the forefront. It was unfamiliar and foreign but he recognized it instantly. It was that same green energy that had led him about before, that had attacked him in dreams and led him to the materia in the first place. It was weak and faded. The moment it reached the fore front of his mind though Squall winced at a sudden onset of pain, a quick sting and a flash of green and purple and then nothing. It was just.. gone. Completely.

He'd been prepared for the backlash. His body took a step backwards when he realized he didn't get one.. Actually, it didn't feel like he'd done anything at all. There was no pull, no jerk and twist. Did it work? Squall opened his eyes, stormy gray passing over the anxious face of Nanaki and the pale, carefully guarded expression on Vincent. He looked around briefly. Nothing. Nothing at all.

…_**..............:`' ~ Author's Notes ~'`:................** _

1)Report NC2K-500JC = Report North Crater 2000 – 500 Jenova Crisis. Iunno, I just sort of made it up, and it looked so official!

2)Not ancient from like Cetra ancient. Ancient as in it's general definition.

3)Saitek doesn't have any fingers to hold up for Squall to count. :3

4)Isn't it great how Vincent can have like two conversations at once?

5)lawlz

First off, very sorry about the prolonged update! I blame it on Christmas break, FF8, WoW and reworking the entire Legacy plotline. :3 which, by the way, everyone send love to Jade, who has been such a _tremendous_ help in doing so. Without her input, this update would've probably taken much longer. Also, much love to Spellcaster Hikaru, whos review and enthusiastic messages kicked my muse into gear and got me writing the majority of this chapter out (finishing it) in one sitting.

Did you know that Moomba's remember people after licking their blood? It's a fact! I read it in the in-game Tutorial information while replaying FF8! Also, random point of note, I absolutely hate.. hate.. HATE the damned prison escape. Fbajfabjfla – seriously FF8-maker people. Why do you make us run in circles, down, up, then down again? And then at the end I always.. ALWAYS crawl the wrong damn way and get a game over when Squall becomes buried beneath tons of sand! ARGH! Huff. Sorry.

However, on a good note, I love Seifer. I absolutely adore him. How I _wish_ I could find a valid reason to get him in this story.

Sorry, got off track. How's this chapter for you guys? I hope I didn't disappoint anyone. You got a nice healthy dose of Cloud! How's that, huh? He seems to be in a pickle. Hmmm! Also, very much thanks to _Spellcaster Hikaru_ for offering to beta for me! Finally, my own real beta! I'm so proud. Sniff.

Btw, there's a scene in there totally inspired by a comment Hikaru made in her initial review; cackle. Just goes to show how much to heart I take everyone's opinions! See? Make a suggestion and it might cameo! Hee. So, review review review! I honestly truly dooly love getting them. They help me figure out how to fix the story to keep you guys interested! As always, how'd I do with characterization?! Vincent had a bigger part, and Squall got mad. Woo, scary.

**Fun Fact: **Did some tweaking to the end of the last chapter; read it from about the point Squall pulls out the material and on. It's a minor tweak but has a pretty big influence on the rest of the story. If you don't want to read it I'll tell you what it is here. Ahem. Basically, the green materia was still dead. Hmm! Will it ever be recharged? Can it ever be recharged? Such a mystery! And what does this mean for Cloud's material?!


	9. Return to Nibelheim

_.:`'~ Legacy ~'`:._

_-=-=-=-=-=-_

Oh no,  
here it is again  
I need to know  
why did I choose to betray you

Something wrong  
with all the plans of my life  
I didn't realize that you've been here

Dolefully desired  
Destiny of a lie

Set me free  
your heaven's lie

_-=-=-=-=-=-_

"It didn't work." Squall admitted reluctantly, staring at the dull amber orb in his hand. "Maybe it still needs to recharge."

Vincent narrowed his eyes.

"Recharge?" Nanaki sounded just a little skeptical. How couldn't he? He'd never heard of such a thing as recharging a materia. He didn't mean to question Squall, but it sounded so foreign. Nanaki was considered one of the leading opinions on all things Lifestream, including materia. He'd never even considered such a thing as recharging them. Although.. Now that he thought about it.. "What do you mean?" He asked.

Squall lifted his right shoulder in half of a shrug, ignoring the stare he felt from Vincent's direction. "Where I come from after you draw from a draw point it needs to recharge before it can be used again. Depending on the strength of the spell, it can take anywhere from a couple of hours to a few days or even weeks." He frowned thoughtfully, suddenly reaching into his pocket and withdrawing the other green materia. It lay dull in his hand next to the amber one. Still not recharged, huh? It's been.. what, two weeks? And that had only felt like a Firaga.. strong, but not that strong. And if this Cloud summon materia was as strong as it sounded.. then how long before it recharged? Well, actually, if things worked so differently here.. And by the reactions of everyone else.. did they even recharge? If that were the case, would they even have a chance of summoning Cloud again?

He refused to take no for an answer. "There's got to be a way.."

Nanaki's heavy furred brow lowered in thought. He stared at Squall, watching the SeeD commander frown at the materia in his hand. Nanaki looked over at Vincent to meet the ex-Turk's crimson eyes. It was hard to read what was going through his friend's mind, though he was certain it had to be along the same lines as his own. How to get the materia to work again.. Well.. wait a minute.

He continued staring at Vincent, feeling his thoughts dance around a slippery thought. Recharge a materia.. Materia was knowledge of the Lifestream, trapped away in a crystal. It was because of this they could use it to manipulate nature itself. As the Lifestream left the surface of the planet, materia had slowly faded with it. But what if the Lifestream were to return? Would materia begin to work again? What if the Lifestream was already returning?

A sudden rush of excitement surged through the Lienliek's body. "I've got an idea." He exclaimed proudly, "I don't know if it will work, but it's worth a shot."

Vincent's eyes grew with curiousity and Nanaki was happy to explain. "About an hour before you called I received a message from Shera XIII. They have reports that show the Lifestream is returning to the surface of the planet."

At this sudden knowledge Vincent's head tilted a little to the left. "It's returning?" He wasn't really all that surprised, all things considering. It made sense. With the danger represented from this new Jenova virus it was really only a matter of time before the Lifestream returned to fight it off, if history was anything to go by. Although the significance of this and the materia was- Oh.

Seeing the sudden clarity in Vincent's eyes, Nanaki nodded. "Exactly."

Vincent looked over at as Squall suddenly cleared his throat. The swordsman was looking at them with a stormy expression, no doubt feeling left out of the conversation. Vincent stared at him for several long seconds before turning back to Nanaki. "Do you know where?" He asked the Lienliek, leaving Squall somewhere far in the back of his mind for the moment.

Nanaki nodded, his eyes flickering between a focused Vincent and suddenly very irate Squall. "Yes. Dr. Conolly sent me the locations of the five most probable areas that Mako would first resurface at."

"Where's the closest one?"

"The old reactor in Nibelheim," Nanaki said quietly, dipping his head a little towards his friend. Vincent's eyes narrowed silently. Nibelheim, huh? That reactor was barely standing, forgotten by Shinra except for once a year visits. Shinra had no reason to keep up maintenance there, but they continued to insist on it. It never struck a good cord with Vincent. "She also told me that Shinra may already be there. They've already been informed and are sending out research teams. If we leave immediately we may make it there before them."

"We can take the helicopter." Vincent suggested, looking behind him at the cooling machine. It would be the quickest way, and although it was small it _should_ carry them.

"Are you going to explain this to me?" A chilled voice suddenly asked. Squall stared at them with an angry expression, his gunblade tapping against his shoulder expectantly. A cold anger practically rippled off of his shoulders, radiating outwards from him towards the gunner. Being ignored was an ironic circumstance that he did _not_ appreciate.

Vincent didn't seem fazed at all by the same stony glare that had once sent others running. He calmly returned the look with a stoic, patient expression of his own. Neither of them were willing to break before the other. Even when Nanaki's voice cut through their glaring their eyes never turned away, locked in a battle of will and determination.

"It's never been tried, but if we could get the materia to a source of Mako there is a chance it might.. recharge, somehow." The Lienliek quietly explained, attempting to diffuse the hostility with his firm tone. "There's a probable location not far from here, a half day's flight by helicopter with fair weather. If we can get there before Shinra we may be able to get to it first."

Squall tightly clenched his jaw and glared at Vincent with a stubborn, narrowed gaze. Shinra? Wasn't that the company he'd heard about? He'd seen plenty of their logos in Edge. "What happens if they get there first?" He asked.

Nanaki's earrings and mane ornaments shifted noisily when he shook his head. "They might not let us in."

"Then I suggest we get going." Squall said firmly, mentally agreeing to a stalemate as both he and Vincent turned away.

_**.:`'~ Legacy ~'`:.**_

It didn't take much preparation before they could leave Cosmo Canyon. The flight would only take about five or six hours by helicopter. They couldn't leave before Nanaki informed his family of where he was going though, and that brought a whole new problem.

Saitek.

"But Daaaadd I wanna go!" Saitek wailed, looking absolutely miserable as he stared at his father with large, wide and pitiful eyes.

Nanaki sighed heavily, looking past his cub at Denneh. She sat with her head tilted and a faintly amused expression, giving him a rolling shrug of her shoulders. _He's your son, you deal with it._ It didn't help that Cheyna was rolling her eyes.

He huffed at them both. Some help _they_ were.

"-and besides it's not like I haven't gone out before plus Leon can't do this without me we're like war buddies or something! You can't expect to leave me here can you?!" Saitek was wailing when Nanaki turned his ears back to his cub. He winced at the shrill pitch. It wasn't like he'd said _no_ yet. In fact Nanaki hadn't had a chance to say anything after announcing the departure before Saitek practically pounced on him and demanded to go.

"Saitek."

"-Leon doesn't mind honestly! And I've still got your feather and I've never _been_ to Nibelheim and you _promised_ to take us there someday and what better day than the present-"

"_Saitek_."

"-When will I ever get a better chance than this it's not like something can go wrong with you and Vincent _and_ Leon around-"

"**Saitek!**

Saitek whined loudly as his father's voice barked through his monologue. His tail tucked between his legs and he whimpered. "Sorry."

Nanaki huffed at him quietly, giving him a stern look. "You can go."

"But Daaaaaaa—What?"

Nanaki fought back a grin. "I said you can go."

Slowly, Saitek's eyes widened into saucers. "Wha…What?! Really?! I can go?! YES!!" He howled with joy, dancing back and forth on each of his paws. Holy crap! His dad actually said he could go?! And he hadn't had to fight for it?! "It's a miracle!" He hollered, quickly bounding past his father towards Leon. His claws slipped on the stone floor, though, and his momentum sent him colliding into the fighter's legs. Leon stumbled back a step from the impact. Saitek didn't notice.

"Hey Leon I can go!" He shouted happily, quickly bouncing up and balancing against Leon's legs. He grinned widely at his human, ears flicked forward and flaming tail bouncing wildly in the air.

Squall's dark mood was helplessly lightened by Saitek's youthful enthusiasm. He folded his arms meaningfully, frowning to hide the small amount of amusement that wound its way to his face. "I'm glad." He admitted. It wouldn't be so bad to have Saitek around for the trip. At least it might keep him from fighting Vincent.

Saitek beamed at him happily, tongue lolling out of his toothy mouth in a very dog-like manner. It took all of Squall's resistance to stop from scratching behind the cub's ears. Instead, he looked away towards the shadowy figure lurking around the doorway. Squall's eyes narrowed on Vincent, who continued to stare at him silently.

"We should be leaving as soon as possible," Nanaki broke through, dragging Squall's attention away. "We shouldn't be gone for too long." The Lienliek stepped forward, butting his head gently against Denneh's. They both purred loudly before Denneh gently bumped him away.

"Go on," she urged, "The sooner you leave the sooner you'll get back."

Nanaki smiled at her, looking down at Cheyna and blowing on her little ear playfully. She giggled and pawed at him. "Stoppit!"

Nanaki's smile widened into a grin and he winked at her. "Be good and help your mother."

"Kay!"

Turning away from his family, Nanaki trotted over to the doorway where Vincent stood, ready to go. Squall followed after Saitek, who bounded ahead happily. The cub turned and lifted a paw, waving it wildly at his mother. "Bye Mom! Bye loser!"

"You suck Sai!" Came Cheyna's indignant howl, echoed by Denneh's soft rumbling laughter.

Saitek cackled and disappeared after the others.

The flight took about seven hours before it cleared the outer range of Mt. Nibel. Saitek was a bundle of excitement for about the first hour before sleep hit him, and since then the cockpit of the helicopter had remained silent. Nanaki attempted conversation at times, either with Vincent or with Squall, but found the thick tangible hostility brewing between the two of them was much too potent for him to wade through. Instead he finally settled down next to his son with a heavy sigh, attempting to convince himself that with time _all_ things work their way out.

Squall watched out of one of the small bulletproof viewing windows as the landscape beneath them changed from open, dry desert to mildly green plains, eventually trailing into a rocky mountain horizon. Clouds passed lazily by beneath them, completely unbothered by the trespassing helicopter. His thoughts were a swirl of emotions, heated with anger towards Vincent, betrayal and distrust. Mix in a bit of resentment towards himself for his failures, as well as worry for what could happen in the future and he ended up with the ingredients for a splitting headache.

Squall winced inwardly as he lifted a hand, gently rubbing his fingers over his temples. There was a sudden sense of vertigo and when he opened his eyes he noticed the clouds were rising above them, and the ground was getting closer. Curiously he leaned a bit forward, peering down beneath them. He'd heard the word village and reactor, but all he could see was overgrown vegetation. No, wait. There in the approaching distance he could make out the outline of a house settled between the crook of two rising mountains. It was hard to see in the dark evening but he could make it out. Where was the village though, he wondered.

A loud yawn broke through his thoughts. He looked over to see Saitek's gaping jaw close, smacking loudly a few times before the sleepy cub saw him and grinned oafishly. Squall mentally rolled his eyes, looking over to see Nanaki looking quietly out the cockpit window. Vincent's reflection showed the pilot was focused on landing the helicopter, though he must've felt Squall looking at him because his crimson eyes glanced his way through the reflection suddenly. The moment their eyes connected there was a virtual spark and just as quickly they looked away.

Squall decided to ignore him for now.

They landed outside of the building he'd been squinting at, and when he left the helicopter and got a better look at it he realized it was a large mansion. The building itself looked rather old but well cared lawn was overgrown, though, and the ancient metal fence that once surrounded the mansion had fallen into disrepair, crumbling and fallen over in several places; the still standing segments of the fence were covered in rust.

The night was eerily silent. Squall became acutely aware of the absence of crickets and other nightly insects sounds. There were neither howling wolves nor the faint cry of night birds; even the chilled mountain breeze didn't seem too willing to break the silence as it weaved through the quietly ruffling vegetation. It was very unsettling.

"Wow." Saitek's revered whisper cut easily through the still silence. Squall looked down at the cub and saw Saitek staring at the darkened mansion with wide, softly glowing eyes, completely awed by the sight. Seeing the cub look at it this way made him look back at the mansion himself, wondering what was so great about it to command such a reaction. Then again, he reminded himself, this was Saitek.

Saitek turned to Nanaki. "Is this the mansion Dad?"

Nanaki nodded, ducking his head and bumping his cub forward. "Yes, it is. Let's get inside, it's cold."

Saitek trotted forward, followed closely by Nanaki and Squall.

"Is it always so quiet?" Squall murmured to the Lienliek, feeling rather noisy with the soft clinking of his belts and creak of leather.

Nanaki continued forward, his shoulders rolling under his fur beneath his smooth gait. "It's been a long time since I've seen a monster here."

Lifting an eyebrow at the cryptic response, Squall noticed suddenly that Vincent was nowhere to be seen. Not that he cared, but he looked around briefly anyways. His eyes squinted. The moon was bright and full but the heavy cloud coverage overhead greedily sucked up any light it gave off; it was difficult to see. The Lienlieks didn't seem to have any trouble whatsoever, so he kept close to them until they came up to the front door of the mansion. The door was already cracked open, an electronic keypad mounted next to it blinking quietly at them.

Nanaki butted the door open with his head and padded inside, followed by both Squall and Saitek. The main room of the mansion was large and oval-like in shape, with dark wooden floors and bordered by a pair of large staircases that led to a second floor landing. The entire expanse of the second floor wall was a single pane of a large, wide stained glass window. Squall wasn't able to pay it any real attention. It was dark in the mansion, with only the dim lighting from the brightly burning tails of the Lienlieks to see by. He squinted.

Suddenly, from some deep bowel of the mansion there came a heavy lurching sound, followed by a deep droning which escalated until it became a soft whir in the background. The lights flickered in the mansion a moment before light flooded the area. Squall blinked, closing his eyes against the sudden intrusion alongside a disapproving hiss from Saitek.

"Oowww," the cub whined, "Vinnnceeeent a warning would be nice!"

"I apologize." Came the familiar deep voice somewhere above them. Squall squinted his eyes open slowly, and as the room came back into focus he saw the crimson-caped man standing on the top of the stairs, looking down at them with his arms folded.

Nanaki's voice suddenly spoke up, sounding much too amused for the situation. "Seems you finally took my advice."

Vincent stared at the Lienliek silently.

"What advice?" Saitek asked curiously, looking over with half-lidded eyes at his father.

Nanaki tilted his head in Vincent's direction. "I told him he should clean the mansion."

Clean the mansion? The outside looked horrible. He studied the main room around them, surprised to realize that it was actually pretty spotless. The dark wooden banisters were gleaming free of dust and the wooden floors were polished. The walls, he saw, were covered with a various array of separate paintings and portraits, all of which looked too contemporary for his tastes. Behind Vincent the stained glass window, spanning from one end of the wall to the other and from top to bottom, looked very well cared for. It depicted an image of the inside of a crumbling church, pews scattered about and collapsed columns. The focal point of the picture was focused on a bed of yellow flowers, blossoming from a pool of blue water in the center of the room. It was a beautiful, lonely image.

"Looks pretty clean to me!" Saitek grinned up at Vincent, who's expression lay hidden beneath the high rising collar of his crimson cloak.

"Should've seen it before," Nanaki said with a small grin of his own, "Must have been what.. an inch or two of dust, Vincent?"

Saitek snickered.

"You two should wait here." Vincent said, his deep voice echoing quietly in the expanse of the large room. "Nanaki and I will check out the reactor."

"What?" Saitek whined. Squall thought the same thing, but when Saitek put it so much more eloquently than he wanted to, he wisely remained quiet.

"That sounds like a good idea," Nanaki supported Vincent slowly, staring at him with a carefully hidden puzzlement, "We'll return shortly with our findings. There's a chance the Mako hasn't surfaced yet."

Squall didn't like the idea, but at least he wasn't being left behind with Vincent.

"Aw man." Saitek huffed. "Whatever." He brightened up considerably suddenly, "That's fine, though! Can I give Leon a tour?" Not that Saitek had ever been here before, but still. It might be fun. They could walk around and he could tell Leon what he _did_ know at least. He'd never been to the mansion before, but he felt like he already knew the place. Well, not really. Oh who cares! It was the freakin' _mansion!_

Vincent's sharp gaze turned to Saitek. "Don't open any locked doors." He ordered, walking down the stairs to meet Nanaki at the door.

Nanaki looked over at Saitek, then up at Squall. "We'll be back within a couple of hours. It shouldn't take any longer than that. "

Squall nodded imperceptibly, watching Nanaki follow Vincent outside. The large wooden door closed behind them with a soft click, though the loud metallic latching sound that followed it echoed through the room.

"Wooooww." Another awed whisper echoed from Saitek, who stood partially frozen a few steps ahead of Squall. "It's just like I imagined; only bigger!" His voice squeaked excitedly when he turned back to Leon. "Aw man do you even know what this place is?!" He doubted it, although he coulda sworn they told Leon some stories before.

Squall shrugged and murmured, "Not really."

Saitek squealed happily, bounding up the stairs and turning back at the top of them. "C'mon! This way!" He called, his shrill voice echoing down the staircase.

Squall sighed in a very put upon manner, mentally scolding himself for exaggerating the situation as he trudged up the stairs behind the cub. Saitek darted to the right, disappearing down a corridor. Squall found him in a room with a single bed and stone walls, decorated quaintly. Like the rest of the mansion, it was virtually spotless.

"Woww." Saitek breathed again, turning in circles in the center of the room. He stuck his tongue out between his teeth thoughtfully, staring at the walls with an intent look. Turning his head to Leon he grinned widely. "I think this is the room!"

Squall raised an eyebrow.

"You know, the room! The one that leads.. to.. the _basement._."

Why did Squall feel like it should be capitalized?

Saitek wandered over to a curve in the wall, sniffing at the stone curiously. He pawed at. "The basement is where Vincent came from." His grin broadened toothily and he fixed Leon with a spooky glare, "They say.. he's a _vampire_!"

Squall snorted.

"It's true!" Chirped the Lienliek. "Story goes he woke up in a coffin and everything. And I mean c'mon, look at the guy! I bet he keeps his dead bodies down there! Oh man oh man!" Saitek hopped up, scratching at the wall with both of his front paws. "Leon d'you see anything?"

Shaking the highly amusing thought of Vincent as a vampire, Squall walked over to the wall. "I see a wall." He said rather blandly. What else was he supposed to see?

"It's a secret door! Iunno how to open it. Hm. Maybe we have the wrong room! Hey, let's split up okay? I'll go check out the other wing and you keep looking in here, okay?" Saitek grinned at him, hopping away from the wall and bounding to the door. His voice echoed back as he disappeared down the corridor. "Lemme know if you find anything! And watch out for ghosts!"

Squall rolled his eyes. What was he supposed to find? A secret door leading to what? He wasn't really interested. He examined the wall for a few seconds after Saitek left before he walked away from it, looking around the quiet, empty room. Ghosts? He resisted a shudder. He didn't believe in those things, though he had to admit that once in the silence and alone this room did echo with something strange and unwelcome.

Heading out of the room, Squall preceded down the corridor quietly, his thick boots muffled on the heavy plush carpets that covered the wooden floor. They were deep red in color and Squall only needed one guess to figure out who picked them. Did Vincent live here?

He came across another set of doors; one of them locked shut but the other curiously not. The door opened quietly, sliding over the thick carpet with a muffled whisper. This room was a little different than the other, with a single bed and a tall wardrobe, including a small safe. A large bookshelf lined the other wall and the single shuttered window hung over the back edge of the bed darkly. Squall took one look and left the room, going further down the hallway.

There was only one more door there at the end, dark cherry wood that gleamed in the bright lighting of the hallway. Squall curiously tried the handle, twisting it to find the knob was actually locked although the door opened easily. It was dark in there, but it didn't take long before he found the light switch next to the door and flicked it. This room was a bit larger than the others and somehow seemed just a little more personalized. The bed was larger, and dark blue and black curtains hung heavily from the ceiling over the larger, double-paned window. Two bookshelves lined the far wall to his right, and to his left was a lightly cluttered desk. Another door was undoubtedly a closet. However, unlike the rest of the mansion there was a thick layer of dust coating everything in the room.

The walls of the room were covered with several framed photographs and countless photographs, tacked up haphazardly. All of them of people and places he didn't recognize. The most prominent display would have to be the extremely large case hanging over the desk. Long and rectangular, it wasn't until curiosity got the better of Squall and he walked towards it before he realized it was a sword. A heavy, thick-bladed broadsword with a golden crest that was as long and wide as he was. On one side of the display there hung a large photograph of the same sword stuck on a dusty, dreary cliff. The background was blurred but Squall guessed it would've been a city.

On the desk in front of him a dusty, unmarked navy blue notebook sat on the surface. An empty wire mesh cup held a couple of pens and pencils to its right. There was a black house phone with a dim blinking red light flashing beneath a layer of dust. Messages he would guess. And long overdue ones at that. Along the edges of the desk next to the wall were several thick photo albums, pictures of random people and scenery sticking out from the edges. They looked well used. Whoever took them must've liked to travel.

Squall gave himself a moment to think about it before he impulsively opened the top narrow drawer of the desk. The air glittered as dust rose into the air and he squinted as more pens and pencils rolled down the drawer, overlapping a thin notebook with a few pages sticking out the side. He noticed the tip of a glossy piece of paper and reached in to take the notebook out. It was dust free, sealed away in the safety of the drawer. Absently he opened the notebook, a few papers falling to the floor as a result. Squall looked down at them and noticed the glossy sheet laying there, the back of a photograph. He knelt down to a knee and picked it up, briefly glancing over a rough scrawl of writing that declared 'copy' before flipping it over.

The photograph was old, probably a reprint by the quality of it. In it a group of colorful people stood in different poses, smiling at the camera. In the foreground was a young girl with dark hair, knelt down and smiling at the camera. In the background, lined up, was a blonde haired man with a blue shirt, raising his hand into the air proudly. Followed by Vincent, standing in the same outfit he was wearing now behind a girl that.. …Squall's eyes narrowed. She looked just like.. Rinoa. She looked taller, definitely more confident and composed but the face.. the hair. It could've been her sister. Did Rinoa have a sister? Maybe in this world? What if this was Rinoa _in_ this world? What if this was some sort of alternate reality?

He quickly squelched the thought, but his eyes lingered on the strangely familiar woman for much longer than they should have. Standing next to her was a taller man, with bright golden hair.. and.. wait. Wasn't that the summon? Cloud? His eyes narrowed a bit further. It looked exactly like him. What could this mean? Hastily he searched the rest of the picture. There were two children, the boy looked like he could've been the Rinoa look-alike and Cloud's son. The girl maybe as well, she could've been the boy's sister. Then there was the large, dark-skinned man with a.. metal hand? And Nanaki, standing in from the side. Nanaki looked much _younger_ though. His red fur was rich in color and he lacked the grey flecks that speckled his hide as Squall knew him. When was this taken?

"..Holy.. Crap.."

Squall whirled quickly, seeing Saitek standing in the doorway and staring with amazement at the dusty room. He didn't know if the cub noticed him holding the photograph yet, but figured it was too late to hide it anyways. Calmly he began shuffling it back into the notebook, deciding the other papers weren't important enough to look at, though he thought he might've seen Nanaki or Vincent's name mentioned in the chicken scratch.

"Leon.. I bet you this is Cloud's room."

Squall paused, looking back over at Saitek as he stood slowly. "Cloud's.. room?" The summon had his own room?

"Yeah! He used to live here with Vincent, I think. I mean, he at least visited lots of times. From what I heard anyways. They were friends. Man it sure is dusty. I wonder why Vincent doesn't clean it?"

_Maybe he respects the guy's privacy_, thought Squall. He did find it kind of weird that a summon, guardian force, whatever they were called, would visit someone and live in a mansion, though. "Why does a summon have its own room?" He wondered out loud.

"Well, he wasn't always a summon." Saitek answered, walking over to the large bed and sniffing it cautiously, struggling not to sneeze as dust crawled up his nose. Hastily he backed away, wiping his nose with his paws. "He was their friend back in the day. He was the hero, y'know?"

"The hero?" Squall asked absentmindedly, replacing the notebook in the drawer meticulously. How did those pens go..? Red before blue..?

"Yeah! Back like forever ago, I dunno, four.. five hundred years? I forget. Anyways, he and Vincent and Dad saved the world, y'know?!" Saitek said excitedly, walking over to Leon and nosing the chair away from the desk. The wheels moved smoothly over the carpet and he hopped into it, coughing at the rise of a dust cloud. "And he used to _sleep_ here! In this very room! In that bed! _He sat in this chair._" The cub sighed wistfully, sinking his weight into the chair.

Wait a minute. "Five hundred years ago?" Squall asked, raising an eyebrow and staring at the cub. He waited for Saitek to snicker and say he was joking, but the cub just nodded enthusiastically.

"Yup!"

"…Your dad _and_ Vincent are five hundred years old?"

"Yup!"

"Maybe he is a vampire." Squall muttered.

Saitek howled with laughter. "I friggin' told you man! He totally is! At least he's a nice one, huh? Otherwise he might drink _your_ blood!" Saitek grinned toothily. "Maybe that's what he did to Cloud."

"Cloud's a summon." Squall was _not_ amused at the thought of vampire Vincent anymore.

"Yeah but he was human too. Kinda. I think."

"You think?" Squall did however find Saitek's answers to be a bit amusing. He indulged himself with asking questions, looking around at the portraits hanging in the room. One of the larger ones caught his eye, showing the same dark-haired Rinoa look-alike he'd seen in the photograph. She looked a little older, but her hair was just as dark and she was smiling beautifully. Standing behind her was Cloud, a hand resting on her shoulder with his head dipped down a little, looking into the camera. Squall didn't know if he was smiling or not. But they both looked.. happy. There was an atmosphere to the photograph that reminded him of Rinoa and himself. He frowned thoughtfully, turning away and opening the second drawer to the desk.

"Well he _was_ human. But from the stories he was also a lot more, y'know? He got Mako in him? Or something? I forget what it was, but it made him like super strong. And I heard his eyes glowed, too!" How freaking awesome would that be? Man, Saitek wish he could've seen it. Everything sounded so much _cooler_ back then.

_Doesn't sound human_, Squall thought as he pulled out a plastic envelope. There was another photograph hidden beneath a thin stack of papers that he lifted. He didn't pull it out, but he could see plainly the three figures standing there. The girl again, the Rinoa look-alike, standing in a ridiculously cute outfit complete with hat and brown boots. She stood between two other men, the one to her left sporting a spiky, black haired look that put Cloud's hair to shame. He wore a wide, friendly grin and seemed completely at ease. It was a complete contrast to the other man in the photo, a tall imposing individual with long, silver hair and unnatural green eyes. The man stood rigidly and his off-handed glance matched his absentminded, stoic face perfectly.

He felt Saitek lean over and heard the sharp inhale from the cub. "Whoa." Saitek whispered. "Is that.. …_Sephiroth_?"

Squall looked away from the photograph to Saitek. "Who?"

Saitek continued staring at the photograph for the longest moment. "Sephiroth. The badguy. I haven't actually seen a picture of him before, but I've never heard of anyone else with hair like that.." He looked up at Squall. "He's the one they saved the world from."

Squall raised an eyebrow curiously, lowering the thin stack of papers back into the drawer. Why would the so-called hero have a picture of the so-called villain in his so-called room? Maybe they'd been friends, he guessed, reflecting momentarily on the relationship between Seifer and himself. He'd never consider Seifer his _friend_. Something more along the lines of colleague.. or friendly rival, maybe. The guy was an arrogant jerk, but Squall wouldn't deny the fact that Seifer was a skilled warrior, if easily led astray. He never _hated_ the guy, though Seifer did get on his nerves frequently.

Absently he rubbed the lowest end of the scar on his face. Not to mention Seifer did know some pretty cheap tricks. Squall felt a secret, smug sense of satisfaction knowing he'd given as good as he got.

Another thought occurred to him. Why had the so-called villain been standing next to the same woman from the photograph with Cloud? Who was she? "Sai, who's that girl?"

"Huh?"

Squall motioned to the large portrait of her and Cloud.

"Ohhh.. That's Tifa." Saitek said, placing a paw on the dusty desk surface to push his chair around. "She was married to Cloud. She died a long, long time ago. She helped save the world with Vincent and Dad and Cloud."

A question snagged Squall's curiosity. "How long has Cloud been a summon?"

Saitek shrugged. "Iunno. He sorta disappeared about.. …three? …hundred years ago? I'm not sure, Dad knows better than I do. That's why they're so excited, cuz they thought he was dead." Saitek grinned. "Maybe he was just taking a break. It'll be so _awesome_ if they can get him back again because man, I've heard so many stories! This guy was like a super fighter!"

Squall refused to acknowledge or even think about him being just the slightest bit jealous at the revered tone in which Saitek spoke about Cloud with. Although he couldn't help but wonder who was better.

_**.:`'~ Legacy ~'`:.**_

There was little left of the old village Nibelheim. All of the buildings had long since fallen down beneath the pressure of nature. If some of the vegetation was removed a crumbling stone wall might be found, but other than that the only sign that there had once been a town here would be the still-standing water tower. The old wooden structure had long since been repaired and supported by thick steel beams, and a small rusted over plaque beneath it once legibly displayed the town name of Nibelheim, as well as a few small facts for anyone who would stumble across it. Two hundred years ago it was named as a historic site, but as newer generations eagerly forgot their history, it became neglected and forgotten.

The only reason the mansion still stood was due to Vincent's dutiful attention. The ex-Turk, over the years, always repaired and replaced any parts of the mansion that became too old to support it. Nanaki doubted there was anything left of the original wood used to build the base, although the basement stone would probably still be the same, albeit reinforced. He wouldn't know, he hadn't been down there since the initial visit five hundred years ago. Not that he cared to go down into the basement anytime soon. Vincent may have updated the basement and made it livable, but the ghosts that whispered through those halls were all too eager to send chills up Nanakis spine just thinking about it.

The two of them quietly made their way through the ruins of Nibelheim, proceeding up the winding mountain towards the old, forgotten reactor. Shinra sent a crew once a year out to oversee and repair it, something that never did please Vincent or Nanaki. Mako power had been extinct for hundreds of years, why bother keeping an old reactor standing?

It was only in light of the present situation that he felt he might understand their reasoning and was grateful for the insight. Nanaki huffed quietly. Grateful to Shinra, imagine that. The company may have cleaned up their act for the first hundred years but old habits died hard. Nowadays the company was so power-hungry they've all but monopolized every oil field and coal mine. Nanaki didn't know whether or not to call the current war between Shinra and Wutai ironic. Shinra wanted the rich oil fields in Wutai for itself, but Wutai didn't want to relinquish their self-sustained society. The only difference this time around was that Shinra didn't have a silver-haired super general, and that most of the fighting took place in political debates. It was luck that it hadn't escalated to military yet, though when Shinra built the Northern base fifty years ago it raised quite a ruckus.

Nanaki shook his head free of those cluttering thoughts. Instead he turned his attention to Vincent, looking up at his silent friend as they passed over the rocky terrain. Fortunately the two of them had a friendship that succeeded words so there was little need for talking. But there was something bothering Vincent, something that for once Nanaki wasn't able to put a finger on. Paw on. Whatever. Vincent walked stoically at his side, the majority of his pale face hidden behind the dark red mantle of his tattered cloak. Even now, so many years later, Vincent still wore his cloak and his golden gauntlet. Cloud once said to Nanaki that he thought Vincent had finally let go of his sins and regrets.. Nanaki couldn't help but doubt it.

"Are you alright?" Nanaki asked quietly, keeping his voice low.

No answer came for him. Vincent continued walking. If Nanaki were anyone else he might've thought Vincent hadn't heard him. But he knew better. The Lienliek breathed out heavily.

"What do you think happened?" Vincent suddenly asked.

Nanaki shrugged, flicking his flame-tipped tail briefly. "I don't know." He admitted, hesitating as he considered his earlier thoughts. He didn't know what happened, no.. But he did have a few ideas. "This would explain Cloud's sudden disappearance, though."

Another long silence came between the two of them. They continued walking for about ten or so minutes before Nanaki's ears lifted the same time Vincent stopped. The both of them could easily hear a strange sound up ahead, much like the beating of wings. _Whomp. …. Whomp…_

Ducking his tail low as Vincent disappeared from his side, Nanaki crouched low and began to stalk quietly through the underbrush. Up ahead he could make out the Mako reactor, rusted over and overgrown but still accessible. The heavy beating wings echoed in the darkness surrounding them, and with a break through the cloud coverage Nanaki was able to make out the large, unfamiliar monster that circled over the reactor. Two long, scythe-like arms hooked beneath its large, overbuilt chest, and the pair of leathery wings that jutted out from it's shoulder blades were long and spindly, tattered. The monster had a thick tail that curved up beneath it, hooked on the end with a vicious looking stinger and it's short, gaping maw was stretched open, an unknown black substance dripping from yellow stained fangs.

The monster was circling the Mako reactor, guttural growling sounds rumbling from it's short, stocky throat. Biologically speaking, the monster looked way too cumbersome to be able to fly, regardless of it's large wings. It shouldn't even be able to turn its head. But yet it flew with an odd, disgusting sort of jerking grace and seemed perfectly functional despite the visual evidence that declared otherwise.

Nanaki felt his fur stand on end at the sight of it. He hadn't seen a monster like that before. Of course he hadn't been to Mt. Nibel in quite awhile, there's a good chance he just hadn't come across one. But the way it moved and it's unhealthy interest in finding a way inside the reactor was causing his instincts to sing at him.

The monster's large wings beat rhythmically as it lowered itself on top of the reactor, curling it's long flexible tail around a pillar. It lifted one large scythe like arm and slammed it downwards, carving through the roof with a shriek of ripping metal just as a piercing gunshot boomed through the air. The monster bellowed loudly, roaring as it tore away from the reactor and lifted into the air again. It's short neck turned and it looked around with a wide, angry purple eye, slitted through with a black sliver. Another gunshot cracked through the still mountain air, and there was a small burst of sparks as the monster lifted a scythe-like blade, deflecting the bullet.

Several more shots fired out and the monster quickly crossed it's arms in front of itself protectively, causing a several more sparks to fall off as it blocked the bullets. Nanaki heard it roar loudly in protest just before it's body exploded into a thick black liquid, coating a large portion of the reactor in the goo as it fell to the ground.

He narrowed his good eye. What the heck? He stepped forward from the underbrush slowly, approaching the reactor carefully. He could see Vincent moving towards him from his peripheral vision, and stopped just on the outer edge of the strange, bubbling black liquid. It smelled like sulfur. His nose crinkled. "I haven't seen that before."

"Neither have I." Was Vincent's response, as the ex-Turk knelt down and looked at the mess with Nanaki. The black pool of liquid had spread over a wide area, it was thick and coalescent, clinging to the main body desperately with thin strands when it stretched out too far. Nanaki watched the ooze slowly filter its way back to the mass and frowned.

"Let's be quick." Vincent murmured.

Nanaki nodded his agreement and turned to the stairs of the reactor, following alongside Vincent as they headed to the entrance. The door had a long time ago fallen off, and lay dispatched and forgotten in the underbrush to the right. Inside of the reactor it was very dark, and only the light from Nanaki's flame-tipped tail faintly illuminated the long since abandoned chambers. Nanaki shuddered to think of what lay, surely dead, within them. He didn't stop to dwell, following Vincent to the back of the reactor where the name Jenova still sat inscribed on the doorway.

The room beyond was black as pitch, and the both of them stood on the old metal platform with a careful spread of their weight. They peered down into the abyss beneath it. Nanaki squinted his eyes carefully, moving his tail away to see if he could spot the glow of Mako from beneath them. It was very, very faint but visible, far down below. He let go of a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. "I see it." The Lifestream.. …really _was_ returning.

"It's too far." Vincent said quietly, kneeling down next to the Lienliek. They both peered into the deep chasm beneath them, silent in their respective thoughts. Vincent's next question surprised Nanaki. "Do you think it's really him?"

Nanaki turned his head and watched his friend for several long seconds before shaking his head. "I can't say. It sounds like it was but.. I don't understand _how_. I have no idea if this is going to work but if it does, we'll get all our answers from him." Nanaki smiled briefly, showing a mouth full of well used sharpened teeth. "It'll be good to have him back."

Vincent said nothing, his crimson eyes watching the swirling, faint glow below thoughtfully. Swiftly he stood, crimson cloak fluttering around his ankles. "Let's go."

Outside the reactor they were surprised to find the black goo from before had completely disappeared.

"That's odd." Nanaki commented, looking up at Vincent who stared at the horizon with a narrowed gaze.

"I never hit it."

Nanaki pulled his ears towards Vincent. "You what?"

Vincent finally looked over, meeting Nanaki's eyes with his own. "I never hit it. Before."

Huh? Tilting his head, Nanaki continued staring at Vincent questioningly. He never hit it? But he'd seen.. he'd seen.. sparks. If Vincent never hit it then.. "Why did it collapse?"

Vincent went silent for several seconds, considering the situation carefully before speaking. "So it could escape, probably."

"That's odd." Nanaki thought out loud. Monsters were generally incorrigibly violent creatures, craving violence and destruction wherever they went with no end or means. They didn't 'escape', they attacked until they killed or were killed, mutations that they were.

The rest of the trek back to the mansion went quietly and undisturbed. Inside the main foyer Nanaki called out for Saitek, perking his ears for an answer. When he didn't receive one he headed up the stairs, Vincent in tow. They checked one wing before the other, finally catching the sound of murmuring down a long hallway. Nanaki turned his head just as Vincent swept past him swiftly, slowing to a stop just outside of the door.

Nanaki could hear two familiar voices as he padded closer to the doorway.

"He kinda died then." Saitek was saying. "No one knows how it happened but he came back in the church, good as new."

Squall made a sort of noncommittal grunt. The story was definitely impressive and left a pretty large reputation to fill in. He turned his head and looked at the portrait of Tifa and Cloud, eyes narrowing thoughtfully. The man did look like a warrior, but it was a little hard to believe that he'd been capable of _everything _Saitek just explained to him. Half of the story was probably elaborated, expanded over time to the near mythical proportions it was now. Cloud most definitely fought a heroic battle, but whether or not it was to save this world and whether or not it encompassed so much within it was left to be determined.

It was an entertaining story, at least.

And the parts about the alien Jenova connected with what was happening now. Squall's eyes narrowed at the portrait. If this Jenova woman drove Sephiroth crazy, what was she going to do with Rinoa? Was she going to try and destroy this planet again?

He came to a sudden realization. Rinoa was a sorceress. Maybe it hadn't been coincidence that Jenova found her. But if that were the case.. then..

The door suddenly opened and, as if summoned, Vincent stood behind it. His crimson eyes were narrowed on Squall and Saitek coldly. "Get out." The gunner growled at them. Despite how carefully controlled his voice was, there was a dark anger rolling off of his shoulders that quickly permeated the room. It spread outward like a thing alive, sending a visible shudder through Saitek's body.

"Vincent?" The cub squeaked.

Vincent didn't reply. He stepped into the room swiftly, forcefully pointing a golden talon to the open door where Nanaki stood, hesitant. Saitek immediately hopped off of the dusty, dark blue chair -flinching as it bumped into the desk- and quickly walked to the door. He'd never seen Vincent look like that before. And the creepy part was that Vincent didn't look like anything right now. His expression was so empty. But he was so.. …._angry_.

Nanaki looked at Saitek strangely as the cub passed him. Saitek looked back, his eyes glancing between his father and the room before shaking his head. 'It wasn't locked' he mouthed quietly, turning and realizing with horror that Leon was still standing in the room, a cold, suspicious look of his own on his face. Saitek squeaked.

Squall glared back at Vincent, his leather gloves creaking loudly as he tightly clenched his fists together. It was frustrating, he had no proof to say that Vincent had set Rinoa up. He didn't know for certain if Vincent was even aware of what Rinoa was. But he'd been the last one with her. He was the one who took her to that military base, the one who claimed to have seen her as an alien virus. The one who said he'd shot her.

What if it was a lie?

Nanaki and Saitek seemed to trust Vincent. But friendship and loyalty so easily got in the way of the truth.

The only thing stopping him from questioning the gunman was the way that Vincent glared at him now, silently** demanding** him to leave this room. Squall knew there were different types of anger, and this was one that he was familiar with. A silent, cold sort of anger that boiled beneath the surface, ready to explode into violence with the smallest trigger.

Squall thought about defying him.

He just as quickly dismissed the petty idea.

Returning Vincent's glare for a few more solid seconds his belts clinked together softly as he made his way for the door. When he reached it he looked down to see Saitek looking fearfully up at him, fire-tipped tail curled low around his legs. Nanaki gave him an off-handed apologetic look, motioning with his head back to the hallway. Squall took a glance behind him. Vincent stood in the same spot, his crimson eyes turned to the dusty desk where the notebook lay. The man's entire posture seemed unnaturally rigid.

Squall narrowed his eyes before turning and heading down the hallway.

_**.:`'~ Legacy ~'`:.**_

Squall awoke to the loud, vaguely familiar _whomp whomp_ of a helicopter the next morning. He sat up quickly, blinking away the remnants of a crimson dream from his eyes as his sleep muddled brain attempted to decipher the noise. Helicopter, it said. Then it reminded him that Vincent piloted the helicopter.

He was out of bed quickly, throwing the blankets off and slipping his feet into his boots. Squall grabbed the gunblade from next to the bed and left the room. He met Nanaki on top of the stairs, who turned his maned head and nodded.

"Good morning Squall."

"Where's Vincent?"

What probably was an eyebrow rose slightly on Nanaki's face. "He's outside." The Lienliek said slowly with a puzzled look.

Squall headed down into the foyer, Nanaki at his heels. The front door was already partially opened and he swept past it, stopping just outside and squinting in the early dawn light as powerful winds swept through the courtyard. A large helicopter bearing the Shinra logo was landing on the opposite side of the large lawn. It was a different model than the one they had used; smaller and sleeker. Definitely more discreet.

Vincent stood about ten feet from the front door, his red cloak swirling heavily in the powerful gusts of wind kicked up by the helicopters blades. The engine of the machine cut off and the blades began to slow with a high pitch whine. A man in a black suit exited the helicopter, followed by another one behind him. They ducked low as they walked over to Vincent, who lowered his hand slowly into the folds of his cloak upon their approach.

Squall walked closer to hear what they were saying.

"Vincent Valentine?" One of the men said with a crisp, articulate voice. He was as tall as Vincent was, with a head full of bright red hair that angled backwards and thin set eyes. He had an angled sort of face, reminding Squall of a snake for some odd reason. A metallic headband circled his forehead, holding his shoulder length hair away from his face. The most unsettling feature was the man's eyes. He appeared a clean cut individual with an iron-pressed, well-fitted suit. So it didn't sit well with Squall that one of the man's light gray eyes kept looking away from the other, fluttering around quickly in a haphazard way.

Vincent dipped his head with acknowledgement.

The man smiled at him them, thin-lipped and forced. "My name is Xander. I'm here on behalf of Shinra. We wish to conduct some research in the near-"

"I know why you're here." Vincent's deep rumble interrupted him. "You're the Turk they sent to supervise the research of Mako in the nearby reactor. When will the rest of your team arrive?"

Xander stared at Vincent for a moment, before a genuine grin erupted on his face. "Well. I can certainly see you live up to your reputation. Very well then. The team should be arriving within the next hour, they were dropped off just outside the Nibel mountains. We have two more helicopters landing in Nibelheim. The president told me you might be here and wanted me to give you this." The Turk motioned to the other suited man behind him, who stepped forward and offered Vincent a small envelope.

Vincent took the envelope and opened it with a swift swipe of a golden claw, pulling and unfolding a paper from it. He scanned it over for a few seconds before looking back at Xander, narrowing his eyes. "I will give you the west wing under certain circumstances."

Xander nodded for Vincent to continue.

"None of your team are allowed anywhere _but_ the west wing. However, I reserve the right to come and go as I please."

"With the exception of one secured room, that can be done." Xander agreed.

Vincent nodded. "Secondly, I want my friends and I to have access to the reactor."

Xander hesitated, thinking the demand over carefully. His moving eye swept past Vincent, locking onto Squall and Nanaki. "I will allow you and Nanaki access to the reactor with supervision. I'm afraid I can't allow anyone else."

Squall narrowed his eyes, folding his arms over his chest.

"Alright." Vincent agreed.

Xander grinned at Vincent again, holding his hand out. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you Mr. Valentine."

Vincent ignored him, turning away and walking over to Nanaki and Squall. Xander's grin faltered and his fingers twitched before he turned around and headed back to the helicopter.

"It took them longer than I thought." Nanaki murmured as he watched the Turk leave with his subordinate.

"The president is skeptical," Vincent explained quietly.

"Hey guys," another voice spoke up behind them. Squall turned to see Saitek standing in the doorway, shifting his weight uneasily. "How're we gonna get the materia recharged now? They said we couldn't go in the reactor."

Squall looked back at Vincent to see the gunman look at him meaningfully. "I can take the materia to the reactor."

Squall's stormy eyes narrowed distrustfully. It was bad enough he suspected Vincent of setting Rinoa up. Now he wanted to take the only bargaining chip Squall had left, go by himself to the reactor and bring Cloud back? Alone? He didn't like the idea at all. Before he could voice his disapproval, however, Nanaki spoke up.

"I'll go with you." The Lienliek said quietly. "We can go after dark when there will be less technicians around."

Vincent nodded, still staring at Squall. "Alright," He agreed, before speaking to Squall directly, "We can meet after sunset at the back of the mansion. Until then, I suggest for everyone to keep a low profile. They'll be wondering about our purposes in the reactor and the less suspicion we can raise the easier this will be."

Squall wondered why Vincent was so cautious. Granted, it appeared the Lifestream hadn't been around for awhile, but what was the need to hide their motivation from Shinra? He recalled some of the points Saitek briefly touched on with Shinra during the story, supposing that could be reason for it.

"Awww man." Saitek suddenly whined. "But I wanted to be there when he comes back!"

"I don't think we'll be summoning him in front of Shinra," Nanaki said, amused at his son's enthusiasm. The way his tail was flicking betrayed his own excitement at the prospect of getting his friend back.

If it worked, anyways.

During the day there was a lot going on. Squall kept mostly out of sight, though he did watch the happenings with curiosity. During the course of the day, several armed troopers and scientists slowly made their home in the west wing of the mansion. Guards were put on patrol just outside of it, not that Squall really cared to go snooping around. Instruments and equipment of unknown design and purpose were brought in and set up, and the finishing touch consisted of a thick, barely transparent white sheet of plastic hung where the west hallway met the second-floor foyer over the stairs.

Outside of the mansion were several military vehicles, all of them emblazoned with the Shinra logo. Saitek had been amazed by the show of force, and it often took a quick word from either Squall or Nanaki to keep the cub from interfering with Shinra's work. At one point though a couple of technicians had wandered over and spoken with the cub, smiling at his enthusiasm and eyeing him in a way that that made the back of Squall's neck crawl. Thankfully they didn't do anything else than just ask curious questions about the cub and his father before going back to their own work.

The mansion didn't seem right with all of the activity.

As night rolled around the energetic buzz slowly dissipated, leaving the mansion in a sort of apprehensive silence. Strange sounds came from the west wing, consisting of moving equipment and voices. Every now and then Xander would leave or return to the room, always followed by the black suited subordinate. Squall had long since tired of watching the activity and was somewhat grateful that it was time to meet in the back of the mansion.

Saitek walked with him as the two headed downstairs and through one of the many doors. Another carpeted hallway greeted them and they made their way down the corridor swiftly to a glass paned door. Outside the glow of a bright moon illuminated the overgrown lawn behind the mansion, swept up eventually into the curves of the mountain behind it. Squall opened the door for Saitek, following the cub outside where Vincent and Nanaki already waited.

Saitek snickered softly as he approached his father. "This is so cool. Like Turk stuff, y'know?"

Nanaki huffed, looking at Vincent amusedly.

Vincent was looking at Squall, unfolding his arms as the SeeD approached them. He held out his hand. "The Materia."

Squall stopped a few feet away from the group, watching Vincent closely. The gunner's expression was guarded and unable to read. Squall's eyes narrowed. What was Vincent Valentine up to? Could he trust him? What if this was all a trap? What if Vincent planned to hand this friend of theirs over to Jenova? What if he didn't plan on that at all, and instead plotted on destroying the Materia? Cloud _had_ been the one able to stop the alien before.. It would make sense for the alien to learn from her mistake.

He looked down at Nanaki, who seemed to understand his hesitation. Nanaki nodded his head briefly. "The Materia, please. This shouldn't take long. I overheard the technicians and the Mako has risen substantially since last night. We should be gone and back within a quarter of an hour." He said quietly, attempting to soothe the strange suspicion radiating from Squall.

Squall frowned thoughtfully, turning his eyes back to Vincent, who continued to stare at him with a guarded expression. Slowly he reached into his pocket, feeling the cold marble texture of the two Materia sitting in there. He didn't need to look to tell which one was the Cloud Materia, pulling it out between his fingers. The amber marble rolled into his palm before he curled his fingers around it, hefting it into the air a few inches and catching it. Immediately he could feel a sudden cold energy radiating from Vincent. Didn't appreciate it, did he?

Better to get this over with. Squall stepped forward, holding his hand out –

An alarm suddenly wailed through the air, several loud klaxon horns blaring through the valley at the same time hundreds of monstrous roars bellowed. Gunshots cracked through the air as an explosion shook the earth.

Squall stepped back to catch his balance, clutching the Materia tightly. Vincent was already moving past him, darting around the side of the mansion with Nanaki at his heels.

The moment Vincent turned the corner he ran into Xander, who held a hand up. "Monster's have attacked the reactor," He explained quickly, "They're heading this way."

"How many?" Vincent asked, Cerberus suddenly in hand.

"I'm not certain, but I'd estimate anywhere from fifty to a hundred. I've already sent a few squads to set up a perimeter. I don't know if we can do anything for the reactor."

Vincent's eyes narrowed and Nanaki growled. "We'll go." Vincent said, Nanaki already bounding ahead of him and across the lawn. "You stay and guard the mansion."

"Hey-" shouted Xander, but Vincent was already gone. Xander scowled. Immortal ex-Turk or not, this was Xander's operation. The reactor was an acceptable loss, there were others all over the planet. He would've preferred to keep them here.. A noise drew his attention and he whirled around, gun in hand and pointing as the cub and civilian came from around the corner of the mansion. He lowered his gun, eyeing the crude weapon in the civilian's hand with a wary eye. Did he even know how to use that thing?

"What's going on?" The civilian asked, fixing Xander with a cold stare.

Xander's expression darkened. "I want you inside the mansion now. We can't afford to have civilian casualties."

"Where's my dad?!" The Lienliek cub yelled.

"What's going?" The swordsman asked again.

Xander, realizing he wasn't going to get them to cooperate without answering their questions, narrowed his eyes. "Nanaki and Vincent have gone to the reactor. Monsters have attacked it and are on their way here. Do you know how to use that?" Xander asked, motioning to Squall's gunblade.

In response, Squall swung the blade around expertly in the air, twirling it with a finesse before Xander suddenly found the tip of the sword inches away from his chest.

"Alright." Xander conceded. "Since-"

He didn't have a chance to finish. A loud, keening scream called through the air moments before a dark, feathery blur rushed by him, slamming into Squall and hurtling him across the yard.

"Leon!" Howled Saitek, immediately leaping into the air after the fighter.

Squall grunted as his back scraped along the dirt beneath him. He was caught beneath a flurry of frenzied claws and talons beating into him, unable to get a good swing in with his gunblade. He grimaced as he felt a talon slash into the side of his abdomen, struggling to twist his weight and push the crazed monster away from him.

Squall was grateful to hear the familiar sound of Saitek's snarling howl a moment before he felt the weight of the monster thrown off of him. He turned his head to see a mixture of black feathers and red fur tumbling over each other, each one snarling and clawing the other. Squall stood up quickly, hefting the gunblade in his hand.

"Get down!" Snarled a voice behind him.

He quickly darted out of the way as he heard something small whistle through the air with a flash of light. The monster gave a moaning grunt just before it went limp, eliciting a yowl of surprise from Saitek who was suddenly buried beneath it's weight. It was no bigger than a Chocobo, and definitely looked like some morphed, mutation of one.

Squall turned his head, surprised. Not at Xander, but at the fact that Xander's _arm_ had _opened_. Several compartments and devices were perched on strange, rotating intervals around a single, smooth barrel that stood about an inch over his skin.

Several more keening screeches echoed behind Squall, turning around just in time to slash through the first approaching monster with a powerful swipe of the gunblade. Five more followed it, each monster grunting and falling lifeless as five separate streaks of light suddenly flashed through the air and hit each monster precisely on it's jutted, bony forehead.

"Check on the cub!" He heard Xander yell.

Squall ducked close to the ground and ran over to where the first monster lay, kneeling down and pulling the carcass off of Saitek.

"Ewww, gross!" The cub whined, crawling out from beneath the monster. He shook his fur and coughed up a couple of feathers. "Those things taste nasty!" Saitek stuck his tongue out, looking up at Leon. "Hey, thanks Leo-Watch out!"

Turning quickly, Squall held up the broad side of his sword as a large, clawed paw caught onto it. Squall grunted from the force of the hit, feeling the impact reverberate through his arms. He grit his teeth as he pushed back against the huge paw, digging his heels into the ground. With a sudden display of strength he pushed against it, knocking the paw away from him as he twirled on his heels, slashing the edge of the gunblade against the furred chest of the large Behemoth looking monster.

It roared loudly and stepped away, drops of black gooey blood splattering to the ground beneath it. Bright purple eyes locked onto him and Squall quickly tumbled back onto the ground as the large beast launched itself at him. He kicked his feet up into it's gut as it passed overhead, flinging it further past him. The monster snarled when it hit the ground, turning quickly to face Squall moments before a red streak shot through the air and tackled the side of the creature.

Off balance, the large monster fell to its side with an angry roar, swiping its huge paws at the small cub currently latched onto it. Saitek yelped when one of them caught his side and knocked him away. He skid along the ground in a tumble, coming up on all fours and preparing to throw himself right back into the fight just as Squall suddenly rushed passed him. The fighter leaped into the air and there was a flash of silver moments before the monster howled in pain, the majority of the bladed weapon buried deep into it's ribs. Squall pulled the trigger on the revolver, sending shock waves of energy blasting through the body. The monster writhed on the ground, clawing at the air and convulsing in it's final death throes. (1)

There wasn't any time to celebrate. A quick glance around showed that the courtyard was flowing with monsters, and somewhere between the initial attack and now several troopers had arrived. It was all out war. The monsters were unfamiliar and mutated, some of them with several extra limbs and heads. For each monster killed, two more took its place.

Squall watched with disbelief as the thick, black ooze that seeped through the dead monster's body in front of him slowly began to coalesce and drag itself together. As the muck grew it expanded outwards, slowly taking the shape of an entirely separate entity. What the hell were these things?

"Leon!"

Saitek was struggling to fend off two large monsters. One that resembled a deranged, over-sized zombie-like dog and the other a six-legged insectoid. A giant pincer came crashing down into the earth just as Saitek leaped out of the way, only to be blind-sided by the dog monster, twice the size he was. He yelped when they hit the ground, attempting to break free of the tumble. There was a flash of light and the monster suddenly limp. Saitek looked up beneath it to see Xander quickly turning away, his wandering eye glowing brightly as small red marks flashed over several monsters at once. There were several more sudden bright bolts of light flashing through the air before those monsters fell.

_Wow that is so_ cool! Thought Saitek, heaving the monster off of him.

Squall blocked one of the large pincers from in the insectoid monster with the broad side of his gunblade, ducking beneath a sweeping leg and rolling to the side. He slashed out with the sword, cutting through two of the three legs facing him. The insectoid monster chittered angrily, stumbling as it lashed out with another leg that caught Squall from behind, knocking him forward. Squall used the momentum to roll further away from the bright gold-plated monster, coming up in a crouch as he concentrated on a spell locked away in his head. He expected fire, but instead a large chunk of ice faded into existence above the creature seconds before plummeting into it, crushing the monster beneath its weight and breaking apart into thousands of sharp, icy shards.

Huh, he thought. He must have brought over some spells with the guardian forces. He'd have to figure out what he had later.

Saitek bounded up next to Leon, panting heavily with a sizable amount of blood dripping down from a ripped ear. "Leon!" He called, "Look!" He motioned with his head, staring wide-eyed at the horrible sight before him.

On the other side of the courtyard one of the troopers was impaled on the end of a sharp tail, gurgling for breath as he slid down the sharpened blade and fell to the ground. The nightmarish part was the thick, black ooze on the ground that he fell into. The moment the trooper touched it, it latched upwards and crawling up his arm, digging into his skin and burying itself beneath it. The trooper screamed in pain as tendrils of the ooze burst out of his skin, ripping through his clothing and armor. It continued all the way up to his head, covering him completely in a coating of black that suddenly bubbled and fizzled over his skin. There was a horrible ripping sound moments before the trooper's spine tore through his back, long spikes thrusting outwards from each vertebrae. A pair of thick, leathery black appendages expanded out from his arms and his legs stretched outward with a bone-popping crack, breaking into an extra joint. Toes erupted into talons; skin became hardened, glistening scales; his neck stretched out and his teeth overlapped his nose.

With an earth shattering roar the newly born mutation took to the air.

Squall's eyes were wide. He looked around the battlefield slowly and suddenly noticed that several of the monsters bore uncanny resemblances to the troopers. Some of them even still wore pieces of armor or carried a gun uselessly.

The people were becoming monsters.

"Pay attention!" Snarled Xander a few yards away, the devices on his arm twisting and rotating to form into a larger, wider barrel. A brilliant white light began to glow from within it moments before it burst out as a single beam of energy. It smelled like burning rubber when it cut through the body of another monster, leaving a huge, gaping cauterized hole in its wake. The monster shuddered as it fell.

Squall clenched his jaw and gripped onto his weapon more tightly. He leaped back into battle, Saitek howling ferociously at his side.

_**.:`'~ Legacy ~'`:.**_

Vincent and Nanaki fled to the Mako reactor as quickly as they could. Both of them practically flew over the rocky terrain, uninterrupted as the sounds of monsters and gunfire and screams grew louder. As soon as they burst from the tree cover, Vincent disappeared from Nanaki's right, and Nanaki headed right into the fray. He leaped into the air, roaring as he came down on the back of a large, hulking bipedal monster. His claws tore into the monster's backside, carving out thick, black oozing grooves.

Nanaki howled in surprise when the ooze burned through his claws. He let go of the monster and bounced away, digging his claws into the soft earth to wipe the black liquid off of them.

What was that stuff?! It was the same thick liquid they'd seen from the monster before.. The monster before.. It had escaped. Did it return with friends?

No time to worry about that. Nanaki darted out of the way of a large, flying reptilian monster, jumping over the turtle shelled back of another and slamming into the side of a furry behemoth that had been tearing into the hide of a screaming technician. He grunted as they both went rolling, pulling his legs in close before shoving against the monster and knocking it away. The furry beast went rolling several yards further than Nanaki did, who managed to stop his momentum by digging his paws into the earth.

Gunfire splattered from somewhere to his left, and the furry monster bellowed loudly as it's body was knocked back by the concussive force, slowly falling to the ground riddled by bullet holes. Nanaki quickly ran back over to where the human lay, horrified to see the human's face quickly distorting into a monstrous shape. The body cracked sharply and bent over backwards at a completely unnatural angle as the technician's arms thrust outward, bending backwards and growing longer until they held its body off the ground. The head twisted around on it's neck, sinking into the flesh until it only had a face staring out at Nanaki with a murderous glare. It opened it's mouth, rows upon rows of sharpened teeth gyrating back and forth before an ear-splitting scream tore through the air. Then it's head exploded.

Nanaki caught a glimpse of crimson from the corner of his eye and silently thanked Vincent for the save, watching the gunman perch on a thin metal outcropping of the reactor. Vincent took a quick aim and Cerberus barked through the air, dropping another monster swiftly. The ex-Turk was gone just as quickly, moments before the very same large, flying monster they'd encountered before at the reactor slammed into his perch. The reactor groaned as metal gave way and the creature disappeared through the roof.

Vincent followed, jumping down and landing on top of the crashed monster. It roared angrily, swiping it's curled tail around to the weight on its back. Vincent leaped out of the way, knocking the tail aside with his golden gauntlet. A sharpened scythe-like claw swept through the air towards him, sparks flying when it struck the side of his gauntlet. The other scythe-like appendange slashed through from the other side, and Vincent raised Cerberus in time to block it on the side of the gun. He grunted as he pushed against the monster, caught by surprise when he felt something thick and fleshy suddenly wrap around his leg and pull. The monster overcompensated, however, it's two scythe-like blades digging deep into the floor of the reactor an inch above Vincent's head when he fell. Vincent rolled, aiming low with Cerberus and firing off a round at the tail wrapped around his leg.

The monster roared in pain, whipping it's torn tail away as it strained to pull it's arms from the ground. Vincent turned and aimed with Cerberus again, firing at the joint holding the scythe to the monster's arms. The bullets tore through the ligament just as the monster gave a sharp tug. A ripping sound shredded through the air and the monster roared again as it's arm came free – minus one scythe-blade. The stub flailed uselessly, spurting a thick black liquid.

Vincent stepped back, catching the monster's purple eyed-gaze. He felt a small chill from the intelligence he sensed there and knew, knew that Rinoa was watching him. Another shot blew off the top left portion of its head. The monster gurgled as it spasmed, writhing on the ground. It's tail lashed wildly through the air and Vincent quickly jumped to the side to avoid an off-handed swipe.

"Kk..Kkkkkk..."

He looked over and saw the monster staring at him, it's purple eyes wide and slit with thin, cat-like pupils. "Kkkkk.." It gurgled, black ooze seeping from between its jaws.

"Ggggg......usssssss... kkkkk.."

Vincent raised Cerberus.

"Kkknnnniitttt-"

He hesitated.

"Vvvv...... ….ussss... Knnniiight.."

Vincent's eyes narrowed. What was it saying?

"KNNNNNNIIIIIIIII-" Suddenly the monster let out a keen, ear-splitting shriek; startling Vincent. The next shot from Cerberus took the rest of the monsters head off, stopping it in mid-cry. Its body flailed violently before it finally lay still, black liquid oozing from every orifice.

Knight? Night? What had it been saying?

He stared at the carcass thoughtfully, listening to the sounds of battle dying outside of the reactor. Quickly he turned, crimson cloak fluttering heavily behind his steps. In the doorway of the reactor Vincent was surprised to see a lot less monsters than there had been before.

Nanaki walked up to him, slightly out of breath and with a look of worry. "Vincent.. The monsters left, but they're headed for the mansion."

The mansion? What was at the mansion?

Vincent's instincts screamed at him, attempting to deliver a message he couldn't decipher. One thing he could tell, though, was that they needed to get back to the mansion. Quickly. Saitek was there, with Xander and the rest of the technicians... and Squall.

Rinoa.. Squall.. ...Knight?

Didn't Rinoa mention something about that?

"Let's go." He took off, moving swiftly through the forest with Nanaki keeping pace.

They did run into a few monsters along the way, all of them seeming too conveniently placed. Did she know they were coming? They were easily dispatched with the both of them, though by the time they arrived at the gates of the mansion they were both covered with monster gore. Nanaki was sporting several new slash marks and Vincent's cape was a bit more tattered.

In the front lawn they could see Xander fending off several monsters, his cybernetic arm making quick work of most of them. The problem was there were simply too many. For every one of them he took down it seemed like more took their place. The courtyard was already littered with dead bodies, and the mansion itself hadn't escaped unharmed. Several windows were busted, and there was a large gaping hole where one of the lower walls had been, pieces of wood and furniture thrown into the yard.

Vincent ran over to Xander, his eyes searching the lawn for either Saitek or Squall. He heard Nanaki calling for Saitek behind him. "Where are they?"

Xander looked over, aiming over Vincent's head. There was a flash of light and then the squeal of a monster before it thudded into the ground. "Your friends? Not sure. Check the back."

Vincent turned and headed around the corner of the mansion, Nanaki quick at his heels. He ducked low to avoid the swoop of a flying monster, turning the final corner.

Saitek looked a little worse for the wear; both of them did. Blood was weighing down Saitek's fur and he was limping on one of his legs, the flame-tipped tail hung low to the ground. Squall had a trail of red trickling from his temple and his grimace was filled with blood-stained teeth. They were both covered with scratches and bruises, both of them breathing heavily.

Vincent didn't really get a chance to take further stock of the situation. Saitek screamed at Leon, who ducked to avoid the flying, black-scaled monstrosity that hovered over them. It was huge in comparison to the other monsters, and used to be a trooper if the loose plates of armor clinging between it's scales was any indication.

Closest resemblance to a monster Vincent knew of would be a wyvern. It's arms were it's wings, long and leathery that ran down it's scaled hide. It had long, double-jointed legs and sharp spikes protruded from the bumps of it's spiny vertebrae. It roared outwards, slashing its tail down towards Squall, who held up his gunbla-

Movement from his left distracted Vincent, sending him into a tumble to narrowly miss the side-swipe of another monsters talon. Just as he avoided it, though, another one came from the other side of him. Nanaki's familiar roar howled as the Lienliek knocked the monster off course, giving Vincent enough time to duck and roll the other monster that attacked him again.

Nanaki disappeared beneath a pile of monsters, small insect-like creatures with fluttering, transparent wings. Their call pierced the air shrilly, eliciting a howl of pain from both of the Lienlieks and causing Vincent to wince. He aimed Cerberus into the fray surrounding Nanaki, firing off several accurate shots and knocking a few of the insect creatures away. More piled on though, with several of them veering off towards Vincent.

He growled softly as he backed away, firing repeatedly into the oncoming mass before being blind-sided by the large monster from before. It knocked him off his feet, pinning him to the ground beneath its weight and snarling with a mouthful of sharp, black stained teeth. Vincent snarled back at it, burying Cerberus' muzzle into the deep furred chest of the beast and firing.

The monster roared loudly as the bullets penetrated through it's hide, sending tufts of fur floating into the air. It groaned in agony, stumbling and falling directly over Vincent, blocking the world from his sight. He could hear the deep, rapid flutter of its heartbeat and the rush of its oozing blood.. ...No, not blood.

"Leon!"

"Agh!"

"Saitek!"

_  
_Vincent hissed as something began to burn his skin. He pulled strength from within him, snarling as he shoved the heavy mass off of his body. Energy burned inside of him, searing through his entire body and ripping him from the inside out. A black and purple energy gathered around him, streaks of white circling before exploding outwards.

In the aftermath of the flash, a towering purple monstrosity stood where Vincent had before.

Its lips peeled back, exposing several sharp canine teeth. Stretching its arms out wide, Galian overpowered the piercing shrill of the insects with a mighty howl of his own, arching its back as it flung its head to the sky. Flicking the black muck away from its violet arms, Galian turned and crouched down a second before it launched itself into the mass of insect-like monsters. Enemies, it recognized, and it would use all of its tremendous power to destroy them.

It smelled blood. Kindred blood. Friends blood.

The scent infuriated it, sending Galian into an uncontrolled rage.

The world blurred by. There was a massive mixture of insect and fur alike, flying through the air accompanied by the sound of ripping and shredding and tearing. Every powerful swipe of Galian's claws sent several of the monsters flying, ripped in half by another swipe. Powerful jaws crunched and tore apart the outer shell of others unfortunate enough to get too close.

"Vincent!"

Galian grabbed a few of the smaller insect monsters off of its back, snarling angrily as it hurled them away.

"Vincent!!"

Galian heard the satisfying crunch of flesh between its jaws, breaking through shell and bone and gorging itself on the meaty flesh beneath before ripping it to pieces.

"Vincent!!"

Blood was everywhere, mingled with black, hissing ooze that gurgled and hissed on the surface of everything it touched. Galian's nostrils flared at the horrid stench, a loud growl trembling through its throat. It whirled around quickly, snatching the tail of a large,flying bat-like creature. The monster squawked and hissed, turning and digging its fangs into Galian's hand. Galian howled and wrapped a taloned hand around the bat-like creatures throat, digging its talons into the fur and feeling a warm liquid seep between its claws. It pulled, stretching the body to its limits before it finally gave way and ripped apart with a dying scream. Black liquid splattered outwards and Galian clutched the two halves tightly in its claws, howling victoriously.

Galian saw something large and dragon-like flying away. It recognized the monster and growled, releasing the carcass it held and dropping to all fours.

"**Leon** ! Dad it's got Leon!!"

Tensing its muscles, Galian prepared to leap into the air after the escaping mutation. There was a sudden flash of blinding light and it felt something sharp stinging into its left thigh. Galian snarled as it turned around, fixing its blazing eyes on the sight of a – not enemy – standing nearby, weilding a strange weapon. – Not enemy – It had a weapon. – Not enemy – It was an ally. – Not enemy –

Galian hesitated.

There were five more bright flashes of light, and five more accompanying stings sinking into its thighs and abdomen. Galian howled at the irritating sensation, lifting its claws and beckoning to the moon with a piercing howl.

– Not enemy –

It hurt.

It turned towards the human, lowering itself and snarling angrily. The fur hackled on the back of its head, white hair draping between two long, curved horns. Galian stepped forward, flexing its claws wickedly. It had shot him. – Enemy –

Galian took another step before something small and red stepped between him and the enemy. Flames flickered from its waving tail, and the one-eyed face was tense and snarling. It was saying something, Galian didn't really care to listen. But it did know that this was – Not enemy –. This was – friend –

Galian growled apprehensively, nostrils flaring as it inhaled familiar and unfamiliar scents. – Friend – blood. Yes. This was – friend –

It inhaled the stench of dead monsters, enemies. All of them defeated. It couldn't hear or smell or taste anymore. They had gone. Retreated.

Yes.

Galian snorted victoriously, dark energy forming around it as it lifted its head, roaring loudly in its victory before it faded away. In it's wake it left Vincent, who lowered and held his head groggily, stumbling before he collapsed to the ground.

…_**..............:`' ~ Author's Notes ~'`:................** _

_1) I did a little research and realized that the gunblade Squall weilds technically doesn't use bullets. Instead when the trigger is pressed it just sorta induces triggers? Something like that? So that was my interpretation of it._

_What's happened?! Who knows? You'll have to wait until the next chapter to find out, hee! I hope this chapter is good for everybody, I know I promised it earlier this week but I've been a busy little bee. :3 I worked hard on getting it out today, though! _

_Sorry for the introduction of yet _another _OC! I hope everyone will like Xander, though. He's got some more parts to play in this story and I hope everyone likes what I have in store. What did ya'll think of his arm thingy? xD_

_My most sincere apology is gonna have to be the absence of Cloud in this chapter, So so so so sorry! I'm having a really tough time with his scene, but I'll do my best to put it first in the next chapter! We'll also get to see what happened there at the end from Leon's point of view and there's gonna be lots of Leon in the next chapter. _

_Oh! Also, let me know what you thought of the mansion and Cloud's room, I'd love to hear your opinions. As well as your thoughts on the last end of the chapter where the fighting begins. I tried making it more immersive (notta word?) than the battle in chapter six, did I succeed? Also, what do you think about Galian? I hope I pulled him off right for you guys. _

_As always, much much much love to the awesome beta **Hikaru! ** It's been loads of fun talking about Legacy bloopers! XD Would you guys be interested in those? I think I might just do 'em anyways!_

_I really gotta stop with these huge author notes; I just get so anxious and excited I tend to babble. Sorry! Let me know how this chapter went for you guys? Where do you think the story is heading? Do you like the direction it's going, are you confused, have a point to make? :D Review and let me know! I live off of those things! _

_P.S. Check out the poll on my profile page, regarding Legacy!_

_P.S.S. O_O It has just come to my attention that Legacy has been nominated in the Genesis Awards for best Action/Adventure _and _Crossover!! **fjsfkabaa**!!! :D :D :D I don't care if it wins or loses it was NOMINATED! I can cry happily now. ;_; Whoever did that is the most awesomest person ever! (I have no idea how that works, actually, shame on me!)  
_


	10. Shared Memories

_.:`'~ Legacy ~'`:._

_-=-=-=-=-=-_

Do you still remember  
How we used to be  
Feeling together, believe in whatever  
My love has said to me  
Both of us were dreamers  
Young love in the sun  
Felt like my saviour, my spirit I gave ya  
We'd only just begun

Viva forever, I'll be waiting  
Everlasting, like the sun  
Live forever,  
For the moment  
Ever searching for the one

Hasta Manana,  
Always be mine

_-=-=-=-=-=-_

_**UPDATE :: August 19, 2009 - I've deleted a section off of the end of the story. For those who haven't read the chapter yet it is no big deal but for those who are returning, I did it for a reason. :) I'm working on the next chapter and hope to have it up soon.**_

_-=-=-=-=-=-_

"You're awake."

Cloud's eyes snapped open, the crushing weight bearing down on him suddenly lifting as the two-toned voice -(voices?)- faded into a gentle tenor. The scene that awaited him was different from before. The expanse of white was gone, replaced instead with a small, cozy looking room. Several pictures of different blurred faces hung on the walls, and the billowing curtains betrayed a whispering, scentless breeze. There was a bed flushed length-wise on the far wall near a cracked door, dark green blankets pulled up to the chin of a small figure with a head full of vaguely familiar brown hair.

_...Denzel?_

Cloud lifted himself up to his knees, his blue eyes locked onto another figure that now approached the bed. He didn't recognize the petite girl at all, although she had short brown hair that reminded him forlornly of Tifa. The girl leaned over the boy in the bed, reaching over and placing a hand gently on his forehead.

"You're fever has gone down._" _

She turned away from him and dipped her hands into a small bowl, ringing water out of the small towel she pulled from it. Folding it neatly and placing it over the boys head, she gently brushed his scraggly brown hair from his face.

The boy_ -Denzel?-_looked at her with feverish eyes, mouth parted slightly as he took in a few deep, ragged breaths. There was a distinct adoration there, even as the boy reached up to brush her hand away with a rigid movement.

Cloud stood slowly, hesitating when his clothes rustled noisily in the quiet air of the room. Neither the boy nor the girl seemed to notice, though, as he straightened. The scene before him was of a strange quality, lacking in explicit details when he searched for them. Vague. Was this a dream, he wondered?

'_No. Not a dream. A memory.'_

The voice -_thoughts_- that floated to him were quiet and articulate, evoking reflections of snow and winter with them. Cloud turned his head, surprised by the sight of an unnaturally pale blue woman standing next to him. Even more so from the waves of frost that rippled off of her skin, his breath visibly fogging in the air as the temperature suddenly plummeted around him. Who was she? His eyes narrowed thoughtfully as he stared. She reminded him of..

'_Not your Shiva.'_She hissed at him suddenly, her voice crackling like broken ice. Shiva had yet to look at him, though, her deep, two-toned azure eyes staring intently at the scene in front of them.

Cloud frowned slightly, shifting a step away from her and looking back at the bed.

The girl chuckled gently as she withdrew her hand, not at all upset from being brushed away. "Would you like to hear a story?" She asked, and the boy nodded. She turned away briefly, reaching for a nearby chair and pulling it closer with a screech of wood on wood. Settling into the seat and folding her arms in her lap, she began, "A long, long time ago, there was a planet. This planet was a very happy planet. It had lots of life to care for and love. Everyday it learned something new from its people and animals and plants, and everyday it created more life so it could learn even more.

But one day a horrible sickness overcame the planet. Everyone began to get sick and many people died. The planet was sad. 'How can I save them?' it thought, and the planet used its own life to protect everyone." She told the story with a well-rehearsed clarity, her annunciation of the tale as solid as though she were reading it from a book.

On the bed, the boy snuggled deeper into his dark yellow blankets, turning partially to his side and reaching his hands beneath the pillow. He stared at the girl, a small smile tugging on his lips as he listened with half-lidded eyes. The story was familiar to the child, though Cloud couldn't help but sense that the boy secretly enjoyed the presence of the girl more.

_'I like this story.'_

Cloud looked back at Shiva, watching the glittering, sparkling woman step across the room gracefully. Her steps left frozen patches of snow and ice in their wake, slowly spreading outwards with thin, spider-like frosted tendrils. She stopped just behind the girl in the chair, who obliviously continued her story.

"-even though the planet had saved lots of lives, it had become sick too. It needed help. It cried and the people heard it, and they used their own magic to help the planet."

The boy on the bed looked half asleep, comfortable beneath warm blankets. His eyelids fluttered briefly as he fought to stay awake. Then his face suddenly became pained and he hissed in a sharp breath, squeezing his eyes tightly shut. The story stopped as the girl reached forward, smiling sadly as she removed the rag and dunked it back into the bowl of cool water.

"I'll finish this story later." She said quietly, wringing the towel out again.

The boy's eyes opened, stormy, gray and glazed with sickness. "No!" He croaked, voice hoarse and scratchy. "I wanna hear more, Sis."

Sis smiled at him softly, holding the damp towel in her hands. "You really should rest, so you can be strong again tomorrow."

Shiva leaned over suddenly, fazing through the chair and the girl to place a cold hand on the boys forehead. The boy didn't react to the touch, continuing through with the memory. "How's it end?" He asked quietly, a defiant glint sparking in his gray eyes. He wasn't letting it go without a fight.

"Well... the planet was saved. And because they worked together, they sealed away the sickness and lived happily ever after."

The boy made a face with a small noise. "That's it?"

Sis laughed, deftly avoiding his waving hand as she replaced the cool, damp towel over his head. "What did you expect?"

He shrugged, eyes becoming half-lidded. "Iunno. A fight or something."

She smiled at him, leaning forward. "A fight, huh? They fought the sickness didn't they?"

"That doesn't count!"

"Then who should they fight?"

Another small shrug of his shoulders accompanied his answer. "Bad guys. There's no hero."

"Everyone was a hero in this story."

"But there should only be one hero. A knight!"

"Who says?" She asked, tilting her head curiously with an amused smile.

"Seifer."

Sis rolled her eyes slightly. "Seifer also says it's okay to chase Zell with sticks and call him a chicken, doesn't he?"

"Yeah."

"And it's not, is it?"

There was a pause. "...He is kinda."

"_Squall."_

He sighed. "No."

The girl smiled at him, ruffling his hair quickly. The boy scowled at her and swiped at her hands.

"Go to sleep now Squall. As soon as you feel better you can go out and play again." She leaned over and tucked the blankets securely around his small body, standing and placing a gentle kiss on his forehead. Then, still unaware of Cloud and of Shiva's frozen presence, left the room.

Cloud's frown had long disappeared, leaving him with a thoughtful expression. These weren't his memories, at all. Who was Squall? And Sis? Just where _was _and what was he doing here? How was he seeing this?

'_You aren't supposed to be here.'_Shiva sat down on the bed, waves of white, transparent frost wafting through the air. Her voice was cold and chipped, sounding not at all too pleased towards him.

"Where am I?" Cloud asked, shifting his weight to the side again and feeling more than just a little indignant from her words.

_'Where you should not be!' _Shiva's sudden exclamation startled him, and he wondered if he'd said something wrong. Her blue-on-blue eyes looked up at him, cold and furious. '_He didn't know what he was doing.'_She answered cryptically. '_Like with the fire.'_She paused then, her eyes sweeping over him with a scrutinizing stare. '_You are not exactly like the fire, though. You are not magic, nor are you a guardian force - I don't know why you are here.'_Shiva finally admitted, sounding slightly miffed.

_That makes two of us_, he thought. Cloud hesitated then, before stepping forward and turning his attention to the boy now sleeping in the bed. It wasn't Denzel, but who was Squall? He made it three steps before he ran into something, a brilliant pink and blue barrier of light flashing against him with a concussive force, knocking him back a couple of steps.

What the..?

The ground split open suddenly on the other side of the rippling, now visible barrier, and out popped a small, turquoise blue and green creature. Two long, tufted emerald ears swiveled his way, a giant red ruby sparkling on the creature's forehead. It looked directly at him, lifting its twitching nose into the air in a vaguely rodent-like movement. If Cloud had the mind to, he'd call it cute. Maybe that's why he was caught off-guard by theit directed towards him, burning in its cerulean eyes.

The small monster squeaked angrily at him, ruffling its emerald fur and flicking its large tufted tail rigidly before it turned and hopped onto the bed with Shiva.

'_You aren't allowed to get near him.'_She told Cloud, her voice firm. '_You may not be the fire, but you still harbor its likeness. You've done enough damage.'_

" Damage?" Cloud asked suddenly, tilting his head forehead as he looked back over at Squall. "I haven't _done_anything to him." He said with an affronted tone, wondering what right -summon or not- Shiva had to accuse him of such a 't even know where he was, much less who this guy even was.

'_Ignorance.'_Shiva scoffed at him. '_Blind. Just like the fire.'_

" What fire?" Cloud asked again, growing a little annoyed. "How can I be doing something if I don't know what I'm doing?" He hasn't even _done_anything! He didn't even know why he was here, or _how_he was here, in the memories of someone he didn't know. It wasn't the Lifestream. He would know if it was. The Lifestream was a collective consciousness, thousands upon thousands of memories intertwining and mixing into a veritable concoction of disorder. This wasn't vague; this was specific and unique. A single memory standing on its own.

Maybe he _was_dreaming. Maybe after that fight.. he'd been knocked unconscious somehow. Maybe thats why Vincent had been looking at him so strangely.

_Maybe.._. Cloud shook his head.

'_The fire is from your world. It is not like our magic. It does not fit here. We are guarding his memories, but your fire is greedy. It wants more.'_

" I don't understand. What do you mean it wants more? Why is it my fault?" Cloud asked again, fists clenching with the creak of leather. He didn't particularly enjoy being unaware of what was going on, much less blamed for something he didn't understand. _His_fire? That made no sense at all; he didn't even carry fire materia on him anymore.

Shiva lifted a slender arm, motioning behind him. When Cloud turned he was surprised to see that the back wall of the room had faded out of view, leaving instead a raging inferno. His eyes widened slightly and he took a step back from the flames burning intensely behind a flickering pink and blue barrier. Despite the proximity he felt no heat, though he could clearly hear the whistling and popping that came with the inferno. The fire seemed to have consumed everything behind the outside of the room, blazing as far as his eyes could see. Bright red and yellow flames reared up against the barrier, burning with an intense shade of blue at their base. Blue and... Green?

Cloud squinted thoughtfully, studying the base of the fire. Was this what she was talking about?

'_The fire came from your world.'_Shiva repeated to him firmly, her voice floating around the back of his head. '_He did not know what it was. Did not understand the repercussions of drawing such raw, potent energy.'_

Cloud loosened his fists, slowly stretching his fingers out. He listened intently, tilting his head forward as the flames crackled and popped, whistling as they raged against the barrier that kept them at bay. Faintly, very faintly, now that he was listening for them, he could hear it. Whispers. Quiet whispers and voices. Familiar things; comforts and knowledge and isolated omnipotence.

The Lifestream.

No. Not the Lifestream. A piece of it.

His eyes narrowed. A materia. Did he.. did Squall..?

" He _absorbed_it?" Cloud asked, his tone full of disbelief.

_'Yes.'_

"And it's.. what is it doing?" Cloud inquired softly, certain he already knew the answer.

'_Feeding.'_Shiva said, and the sudden quite tone of her voice turned Cloud's attention from the fire towards her. Shiva was staring down at the boy -_Squall-_fondly, running her pale blue fingertips down his rounded, flushed cheek. The anger was gone from her face, leaving it its place a regretful sadness.

'_On his memories. He doesn't even know. And soon.. he won't remember anything at all.'_

**.:`'~ Legacy ~'`:.**

Squall awoke with a dull ache in his head and a sharp, throbbing pain in his leg. He grimaced, still caught in the hazed, muffled atmosphere somewhere between awake and asleep. There was a heavy, cold, damp weight settled on his forehead; a rough texture that was vaguely familiar and comforting against the heated, repetitive thudding in his temples. It took several moments for him to wonder why he felt like he'd been run over by a fully grown T-rexaur, and a moment longer before he remembered what really happened.

He couldn't recall much of what happened after Vincent and Nanaki had arrived. It was all a blur to him, snuffed out around the edges between then and now. He remembered that he'd been fighting the large, dragon-like monster -the very same one they'd watched transform from a human-, it was a tenacious beast and Squall remembered that he'd been having trouble not because it was too powerful; but rather that it was fast. Really fast. At times it had been all Squall could do to just block the damn thing.

At one point during the fight, he remembered hearing Saitek call out his name. Squall also remembered that his mistake had been looking over. It was an instinctive reflex in response to Saitek's call and he had paid for it when the dragon had taken the moment of advantage to slam its weight into him full force, throwing him across a short distance until he'd hit a boulder. That had hurt. It explained why his head hurt right now; his head had knocked against the stone. He remembered the harsh crack, stars exploding in his vision followed with another cry from Saitek; this time calling his name. Then a heavy weight had slammed into him, sandwiching him between the sharpened black scales of the dragon-like monster and the rock behind him. He hadn't been able to properly defend himself against snapping teeth and slashing claws; lifting his arms to block only to have them snatched away roughly.

Then something had stabbed him through the leg. Squall remembered crying out, could recall with perfect clarity the sharp, piercing pain in his leg as whatever had stabbed him _twisted, _flesh. He remembered feeling hot, putrid breath on his face moments before his body lurched, the world spinning around him. The talons that gripped him dug into the skin of his arms, and his weight settled on whatever still remained lodged in his thigh. There was a loss of vertigo, a sickening tumble in his stomach and then.. nothing.

Squall swallowed thickly, licking his dry lips as his eyes pried open carefully. He was in a room. It was warm and comfortable, dimly lit by the moon outside of a window to his right. He lay beneath heavy blankets, tucked in carefully at his sides. Squall reached up, pulling the wet towel off of his forehead and wincing when it yanked on a bandage. A white gauze was wrapped securely around his forehead and skull. He lowered his arm, weight settling on his elbows as he lifted himself up a little to get a better view of the room.

It was a lot different than what he'd seen before in this world. Not like the homely, stone décor of Cosmo Canyon, or the meticulous, contemporary layout of the mansion. There was thick, spiraling bamboo sprouting from a large, wide white vase set opposite of the room, next to a tall, dark wooden wardrobe with sweeping fixtures. Two large paper fans hung on either side of the far wall, displaying colorful, matching scenes. Other strange, exotic pieces of décor could be spotted throughout the room, giving it a precocious oriental edge despite the lack of conventional furniture; other than the bed and a wooden stool.

Squall frowned, unsure of where he was. At least he was safe, he figured, sitting up carefully. He winced at a sharp pain in his shoulder, pulling the blankets down to find his shirt gone and his shoulder wrapped tightly in white, stained bandages. His chest was covered in cuts, bruises and abrasions, swollen and red but healing. Squall pulled the blankets up a little more to see his leg was also bandaged, throbbing in dull thuds that made him wince.

He rubbed his forehead gently, leaning back on his elbows again and tilting his head back, taking deep, slow breaths. There were no sounds except for his breathing, the faint thud of his heartbeat and the soft chirp of nightly insects. It was peaceful, quiet. So he was startled when he caught the faint, distinct sound of soft footsteps approaching his door. Squall looked up, listening as the footsteps stopped just outside of the door and it opened with a quiet creak.

Squall froze, eyes widening at the familiar figure cautiously coming through the doorway.

Rinoa stepped inside slowly, carefully attempting to balance a water-laden bowl under one arm and a medium-sized white box beneath the other. She stopped moving suddenly, frozen in the doorway and staring at him with wide, almond eyes. A thick moment passed between them, seconds filled with heavy heartbeats and crackling energy.

Squall swallowed thickly as she suddenly smiled, a beautiful expression that resulted with his hands clenching into apprehensive fists.

" You're awake," She said cheerfully, and in that moment her _voice,_her amazingly familiar and _human_voice made all of the tension melt away. Rinoa walked over to the bed, seemingly unaware of his cautious unease, her fingers gripping the edges of the bowl carefully and her arm holding the white box against her side snugly. With her tongue sticking out from between her lips and her brow furrowed in careful concentration, she looked absolutely endearing to him. The white box settled heavily onto the mattress as she dropped it on the blankets near him, afterwards placing the bowl of water on the square, short stand next to the bed.

Squall was unable to take his eyes off of her, conflicted with varying degrees of relief, suspicion, hopes and fears. They had said... No, _Vincent_had said that she'd been infected with a hostile, alien virus. He'd been practically convinced that she would no longer be human when he finally found her. Squall had envisioned nightmares of encountering Rinoa not as the bright, spirited girl he'd come to care so deeply about, but instead as mutated, monstrous abomination he'd be forced to destroy.

It wasn't exactly something he'd been looking forward to.

Yet here she was. Not at all mutated and not at all monstrous. No extra limbs or eyes or tentacles; she was _human_. Wonderfully, beautifully _human_and she was looking at him with such a concerned, affectionate expression, biting her lip with her hands clasped in front of her, fingers fidgeting.

"How are you feeling?" She asked, leaning towards him.

Squall recoiled reflexively, instincts trained into him for years at Garden forcing him to consider the possibility of deceit. The punctual, professional portion of his brain reminded him that this _virus_was supposedly an intelligent, sentient thing. It invaded and incorporated memories of its host into its own being, infecting them from within. He had no reason yet to doubt the facts that had been given to him, despite how desperately he wanted to ignore them in favor of this very real Rinoa.

"Squall?" Rinoa's voice was quiet and concerned from his reaction. She didn't move any closer to him, but there was a hurt in her eyes that he wasn't able to ignore.

He had to consider the situation and his options. If she _was_infected by an intelligent virus, it could be using this facade to lower his guard. But for what? If she'd been the one to bandage him, it would have had plenty of opportunities to destroy or infect him while he'd been unconscious.

Infect. Squall reflected on the word for a moment, quickly deciding he didn't like it all.

Or... there was the possibility that if this really _was_Rinoa, she might not realize she'd been infected at all.

Either way, he had to be careful.

...But the way she was looking at him now.. Her dark eyes full of concern, that gentle frown tugging on her lips and her questioning, hesitant expression. It was hard not to doubt all of it.

Rinoa sighed suddenly, shaking her head and smiling at him. "Still the cold and silent type, huh?" She said, pulling back and holding her hand out flat. "May I have the towel sir?" She joked, tilting her head and tapping her free fingers against her hip for emphasis.

Squall looked down at the damp towel he held in his hand for a moment, then handed it over, careful not to touch her skin. Rinoa dunked the towel into the bowl of water, squeezing it out gently. "You know, shouldn't this be the other way around?" She said, turning back to him. "Isn't the hero supposed to save the damsel?" There was a teasing smile on her face, mirrored in her eyes. When Squall continued to say nothing and stare at her she sighed and rolled her eyes, leaning forward again as he leaned away.

Rinoa made a small face. "What? I'm not going to bite. Unless you want me to." She grinned mischievously at him, clicking her teeth together softly. This time when she leaned over him Squall forced himself not to move, tensing and clenching the blanket in his fists when she placed the towel over his forehead, then gently pushed down on his chest. "Lay back down." She ordered softly.

Squall's head was a whirlwind of confusion. He laid back down in the bed, staring at her with narrowed, stormy gray eyes. There had to be _something.._Something _alien_, some small sign to tell him this wasn't really her. But no matter how long and hard he looked, he failed to see anything suspicious at all. Her eyes were warm and caring, her joking mannerism and lighthearted words reminding him of what, and who, he'd been searching for.

He placed a hand on his head, closing his eyes tightly. What if it really _was_her?

"Hey."

Squall cracked one eye open to see her looking at him, frowning.

"Are you okay?"

He bit back a sigh and lowered his hand, staring at the ceiling. "...Yeah."

Rinoa breathed a sigh of relief, patting her hands against her blue cotton duster. She pulled up the small wooden stool, pulling her duster beneath her legs when she sat down and leaned towards him, hands under her thighs. She bit her lip softly, silence settling for a few thoughtful moments.

Squall looked at her from the corner of his eye before turning his head towards her. "What happened?" He asked, anxious to hear what she had to say from her perspective.

Rinoa shrugged a little, looking away from him. "I don't know." She said, but the quiet, subdued tone of her voice raised a small alarm in the back of his head. He felt a fleeting moment of panic. She _was_infected, wasn't she?

He waited a few minutes, but as the silence dragged on he realized she wasn't going to say anything else. It was his turn to frown slightly, shifting his weight and leaning back up on his elbows. "Rinoa," He began, hesitating when she looked back at him with wide brown eyes. Squall swallowed again, his throat dry. "Are you.. alright?"

She smiled at him. "Me? I'm fine! You're the one with a giant hole in your leg."

Right. His leg. The monsters. Wait.

"How'd you find me?" He asked.

Rinoa bit her lip again and her eyes quickly glanced away.

Squall held his breath. "Rinoa?"

"Hey! I know!" She suddenly chirped, clapping her hands together and brightening, "Are you hungry? You must be hungry. Why don't I go and get us something to eat, huh?" She was already standing when Squall reached out, grabbing her wrist firmly.

"**Rinoa**."

She winced, not from his grip but from the tone of his voice. Slowly she sat back down, looking at the edge of the mattress worriedly.

Squall held onto her for a couple of seconds, secretly relieved when he didn't feel anything but soft human skin beneath his hand. He reluctantly let go, propping his arm back underneath him. "What happened?"

When she still didn't answer Squall scowled and sat further up in the bed, the towel sliding off of his forehead. "Hey." He said, ducking his head and attempting to catch her eyes. She was avoiding him though, refusing to meet his gaze. It was so unlike her that it completely unnerved him, concern welling within his chest. He reached out impulsively, gently tilting her head up with his fingers under her chin. "Hey," he said again, startled to see her eyes glistening when she looked at him. "Rinoa?" What was wrong?

"I'm a sorceress Squall." Rinoa said quietly, lowering her eyes again.

He looked at her, puzzled. "I know. And I don't care." How many times did he have to tell her?

" I know." She said, smiling at him softly. "And that means a lot to me. But, what I meant was... That since I'm a sorceress, I can _do_things. You know?" She wiggled her fingers weakly. "That's how I saved you."

He wasn't sure why she was acting like this, what was upsetting her so much. He knew she was a sorceress, she knew that. They both knew that he didn't care, though. He'd already told her that, plenty of times. And why was she saying it like _this_? Was she upset because she used her powers?

" Rinoa, it doesn't matter. You're allowed to use your powers when you need to. Just because you're a sorceress doesn't make it a bad thing." Secretly, he felt sort of, well, _disgraced_from being rescued by her of all people. After all, he should have been able to handle things on his own, that's what he'd been trained to do. He wasn't going to tell her about his feelings on that, though, and he definitely wasn't going to bother thinking about it.

Unfortunately, his words had the opposite effect of what he was hoping for. Instead of being reassured, she suddenly turned her head away again and bit her lip. Squall watched her closely, attempting to decipher what was wrong and failing miserably at it. Did he say something stupid?

"Rinoa?"

"I'm sorry Squall." She said suddenly, her voice low and sounding absolutely miserable. "I know. I know what you're saying but I - I..." Her voice cracked, tears glistening as they slid down the curve of her cheeks.

Squall clenched his jaw tightly at the sight. "Rinoa, it's okay. You don't have to be ashamed-"

"But I hurt people Squall!" She cried suddenly, turning her tear-streaked face towards him with a look of desperation in her eyes. "I didn't mean to, but I did - I don't know what happened, I don't know what I did but I hurt them!" A choked sob followed her words and she looked down quickly, wrapping her arms tightly around her chest.

Taken aback by the sudden confession, he found himself temporarily unable to do anything but stare at her with surprise. Rinoa cried quietly, her shoulders shaking with the effort to hold back her sobs. Squall felt something in his chest clench and twist painfully. "What do you mean?" He asked softly, and then quickly shook his head. "No, it doesn't matter. Whatever you did, you didn't mean it." He said sternly, reaching for her and grasping her shoulders with his hands. "Rinoa, look at me."

She looked up through strands of dark hair, brown eyes glistening with tears that continued to trickle steadily down the sides of her face. It was a heart wrenching sight, causing that twisting sensation in his chest to deepen. "You did nothing wrong." He said firmly, locking her eyes with his own and conveying his conviction through them. "You did what you could and all that matters is that you're safe. I'm here now, and I won't let anything else happen to you. Alright?"

Rinoa failed to respond at first, staring at him with an uncertainty in her eyes. She sniffed quietly and finally nodded. "Okay."

Squall nodded back to her, squeezing her shoulders reassuringly before releasing them. He waited a few moments to let the tension ease between them before asking, "How long have I been out?"

Rinoa sniffed again, lifting an arm and wiping her eyes with the sleeve of her blue sweater. "A few days." She answered.

He frowned. A few days? That long? "Where are we?"

"A small village called Kiyosa." She looked down and smoothed out the creases in her sweater.

"How did we get here?"

Rinoa didn't answer and became very still.

"Rinoa?"

She looked up at him, biting her lip. "I.. need to tell you something Squall."

Squall narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

Rinoa took a deep, shaky breath. "What I said before... What I meant to say was that... my powers don't work exactly the same here." She looked down again, fidgeting where she sat and picking at a small, loose blue thread. "I..." Her voice cracked and she went silent.

He said nothing, holding his breath for several moments before realizing it. Slowly he exhaled, waiting patiently for her to continue.

"Do you remember... when you rescued me from the Sorceress Memorial... What I said? What I was afraid of?" She finally asked softly, still looking down at her fingers as she continued to fidget with an uncomfortable, anxious air.

The Sorceress Memorial? How could he forget... He'd almost let them seal her away forever because she would let them. Because it had been her decision. And since it had been her decision, he didn't feel he should do anything about it. She'd been afraid of being possessed by Ultimecia again. Afraid of being hated and feared... Afraid of what she'd become, that no one would want to be around her because of it.

But he didn't care that she was a sorceress. He'd be with her even then, because he knew that although she may have inherited the sorceress powers, she was still Rinoa. So, after a personal epiphany and realizing what _he_wanted, he'd gone against her decision and rescued her before he would lose her forever. He knew now how greatly he would have regretted leaving her behind.

"It's kind of like that." Rinoa continued. "I'm afraid that if I tell you... you'll hate me for it. That you won't want to be near me anymore... And I'm scared of that Squall." She bit her lip, staring down at her now still hands. "I don't... want to be alone."

Squall set his jaw firmly, her words settling in his stomach heavily. "I won't leave you." He promised. "No matter what it is, Rinoa. I won't leave you behind." _Even if you turn against the world, I'll be your Knight._**(2)**A promise he'd made to himself when he first found out that she'd inherited the Sorceress' powers, the words echoed in his head with a startling clarity. He resolved that he would never break that promise. No matter what she did; as long as she was still Rinoa he would never abandon her.

Perhaps it was the fierce conviction in his voice that made her finally look up at him, desperate hope brimming in her eyes. "Do you promise?" She asked softly.

Squall nodded. "I promise."

A wide smile brightened her face, her shoulders sagging in relief. She took in a deep breath. "Okay... Just remember your promise, okay?"

He nodded again.

"Don't forget it!"

And again.

"Promise not to forget it?"

"_Rinoa_."

She grinned sheepishly. Tucking her hands back beneath her thighs, she kicked her legs forward a little against the side of the bed, looking down thoughtfully. Taking a deep breath, she suddenly blurted out, "I can control monsters."

It took Squall a second to register what she'd said. And then a second longer to determine if she was joking. "What?"

"Your promise!"

"I know. Are you serious?"

Rinoa nodded again, refusing to look at him. "That's how I saved you. I saw what happened so I sent one of my own monsters out and saved you and brought you here." Despite how awful she must feel for the nature of her powers, he noticed she wasn't able to keep from sounding just a little satisfied at her capability.

Squall didn't say anything, remaining silent and very still as he absorbed and processed this new piece of information. It wasn't as weird as he thought it would've been, all things considering. After all, she _was_a sorceress, and no one really knew what they were truly capable of to begin with. Maybe they _were_able to control monsters. Of course, he realized, this made it awfully convenient for an alien virus; especially one capable of creating and controlling its own breed of monsters. He hadn't forgotten about that possibility, though he was really starting to doubt it. She was so much like... _Rinoa_, and stolen memories or not he didn't know if it would be capable of mimicking her personality so accurately. And if that were the case, then was being infected so bad?

Excuses, his mind reprimanded his heart. No matter how Rinoa-like an alien would behave, it didn't make her, it, Rinoa. Pay attention and stop letting personal emotions interfere with logic, his training ordered. He still needed to figure out what was real and what wasn't.

Squall sighed, lifting a hand and rubbing his forehead gently. He thought of something. "How did you see it?"

"Hm?"

"The fight."

"Oh." Rinoa frowned and shrugged meekly. "It kinda just works that way I guess. I can see through monsters eyes, you know? The ones I can control. One of them saw a bunch of monsters moving together so I followed and, well... Here we are."

Squall frowned, a red light slowly igniting somewhere in the back of his head. He lowered his hand. "What happened at the North Base?"

Rinoa looked up quickly, a slightly puzzled look accompanying a gentle scrunch of her nose. "Huh?"

"The North Base. You were with Vincent, right? What happened?"

"Oh." She went silent.

Squall waited a minute. "Rinoa?"

She bit her lip, eyes darting back and forth quickly. Squall's eyes narrowed. "Rinoa?" He asked again, voice a bit sharper, a bit colder.

" I - I don't know." She said quickly, kicking her feet again. _Thud-thud... Thud-thud..._

Squall raised an eyebrow and stared at her.

" I don't _know_!" She said again, sounding more than a little desperate. "I don't know what happened, okay? There were all these explosions and gunshots and monsters were _everywhere_and I don't _know_! I was running and running and then something _exploded_and then I – I woke up here."

He narrowed his eyes, staring at her with a scrutinizing look. _It's too convenient_, his trained logic reminded him. _Look at her,_it said. She was lying. About what, though? Did she remember what happened? And if she did, why didn't she want to talk about it?

"I don't believe you." Squall said suddenly, his words breaking through the air like a hammer broke through glass.

Rinoa looked up at him sharply, blinking. "What?"

" Don't **lie**to me Rinoa. What happened? You can tell me."

"But..."

He gave her a look, his eyes steeling over coldly. Why would she lie to him? He wondered. What did she have to hide?

Squall considered the evidence. As much as he would like to believe that the concept of an alien virus had been a figment of Vincent and Nanaki's imagination, he had to be open-minded and consider the evidence saying otherwise. After all, an alien would have everything to hide from him. Especially an alien panicking after being caught off guard.

However, if Rinoa _was_telling the truth, his suspicion might end up hurting her. He rubbed his head again. Why couldn't things be simpler? Then it occurred to him that if she _was_lying to him, human, infected - or not, there must be _some_reasoning behind it. Squall narrowed his eyes thoughtfully, staring at her as she stared back with a hesitant and guarded expression.

He decided to wait. It was a gamble, but it would bide him time. Time to gather evidence and develop a more concrete case in either direction. He'd let this lie go. After all, in time, if this really was Rinoa she would tell him. And if this was an alien infection, it must have a reason for keeping him alive and -as far as he was aware of- still human. His hand lowered and he pinched the bridge of his nose gently, feeling the onslaught of another headache.

Rinoa appeared distressed and distraught, breathing shallowly as she clenched her knees in her hands.

Squall sighed, lowering his hand. "Forget it." He said.

" Squall?" She sounded so _small_.

"Don't worry about it. If it's that bad you don't have to tell me now." He looked towards her and nodded firmly.

Rinoa stared at him for several long seconds before finally nodding back, the tension slowly easing out of her posture. "Okay. Thank you Squall."

"...Whatever." He grunted, lowering himself back into the bed and covering his face with an arm. The dull ache in his head was becoming a bit much to deal with. It was hot, and he wanted nothing more than to sleep suddenly. A few quiet moments slipped by before he heard a rustle of movement at his side and soft footsteps heading towards the door, which clicked shut quietly a second later.

**.:`'~ Legacy ~'`:.**

Vincent had always been known as a light sleeper, and when he did awaken he always did so quickly. There was no floundering between the indistinguishable haze of sleep and awake; he simply opened his eyes and _woke up, _alert and cognizant within seconds. On the rare occasion -such as this one-, however, the process of re-acquainting himself with consciousness was slow and confused, warped images twisting away from his awareness as reality trickled in through the cracks.

Vincent hated it when that happened.

So he waited. He waited for the blurry, nonsensical thoughts of his subconscious to fade away completely, and he waited for all of his senses to become finely tuned with everything in the room; from the soft whir of the electric air conditioning to the musty scent it left behind as it circulated. While he listened, he became aware of a deep, rhythmic breathing not far from his side; the familiar breathing of someone he knew.

"Nanaki, how long have I been asleep?" Vincent asked, not at all pleased with the gravelly sound of his voice. A few days at least, he wagered.

There was a startled motion and a soft-footed stumble, accompanied by the clink of beads and ornaments bumping against each other. Vincent turned his head and opened his eyes to see Nanaki sluggishly blinking away the vestiges of drowsiness from his eyes, somewhere off of the floor.

" Vincent," The normally articulate beast slurred, eyes half-lidded. "You're awake...! It's - " He cut off with a loud yawn, mouth wide and pulling back from his teeth with an arched tongue in between" - been a few days." **(3)**

Vincent sat up, noting that the room they occupied was located within the west wing of the mansion. His eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "What's happened while I've slept?"

Nanaki sat up, straightening with a long, pleasant stretch. "Well," he began, a vaguely accusing tone beneath his words, "I managed to convince Xander that you weren't one of those monsters before he could over-react and try to kill you. He has, however, traced the serial of the helicopter back to the Northern Crater and is quite anxious to hear how you acquired it. Apparently, Shinra is blaming Wutai for the destruction of North Base."

Vincent's expression darkened. "Of course they would."

Nanaki nodded. "Mm. It seems that Shinra is more than willing to use the incident as a reason to launch troops onto Wutai shores."

"They've been waiting for an excuse." Vincent mused, feeling strangely... grumpy. He rolled his shoulders, a nostalgic ache settling in his muscles. It had been a long, long time before he'd ever had to consider Galian or Chaos or any of his other demons. Undoubtedly the transformation had shocked Nanaki, who had been lead to believe that Vincent no longer harbored such monstrosities.

It had come as a surprise to him, too.

"Indeed. It would be prudent to explain the matter to the Turk before Shinra does anything silly like start a world war." Nanaki huffed cynically.

"Where is Xander?" Vincent asked, switching his legs over the side of the bed.

"The last I've seen of him he was in the main foyer," Nanaki answered, stepping back as Vincent arose. "But that must've been a couple of hours ago. And Vincent," He said, interrupting Vincent's path to the door, "The monsters took Squall."

Vincent paused, turning back towards the Lienliek. "They took him?"

Nanaki nodded again, walking over. "Shortly after Galian appeared. Saitek says they headed west."

The ex-Turk stared thoughtfully at Nanaki, crimson eyes narrowing. "Wutai."

"My thoughts exactly." Nanaki murmured, following Vincent as they left the room. "If we can convince Xander to allow us legal use of the helicopter, we could find our missing friend much sooner."

Vincent agreed with a small noise. Of course, the problem being to convince Shinra to let them use the helicopter. Vincent didn't think too much on it; after all if it came down to it he could just take it anyways. Shinra wouldn't miss a helicopter. And the sooner they found Leonhart, the better. He had a fairly good assumption that they would also find Rinoa Heartilly with him. And Jenova.

"Vincent!"

He turned, watching as Saitek came bounding down from the hallway behind them. Catching up, the cub panted happily and stared up at him. "You're awake!" He chirped as a figure turned the corner he'd come from, slowly approaching him from behind.

"Saitek, you have to let me get your stitches -"

The cub yelped at the doctor's voice, darting forward and taking refuge behind Vincent's legs. "Keep him away from me!"

"Saitek," the doctor sighed, holding his hands up neutrally, "If you don't let me replace those stitches they'll get infected."

" No! It hurts! You're trying to _kill_me!" The cub wailed, remaining behind the safety of Vincent, who he knew was spooky enough to scare off any stupid doctors. His right ear burned where the stitches were threaded through. He'd lost about a third of it in the fight, and despite the ache and pain it was causing him, Saitek was rather proud of his first true battle scar.

"If you'd stop scratching at them, maybe they wouldn't hurt so much." The doctor calmly explained, choosing to ignore the last comment. He lowered his hands with a soft, exasperated sigh.

Nanaki attempted to get his grin under control before he turned to his son. "Saitek, stop behaving so childishly. Let Johnathon replace your stitches, he has important things to take care of."

Johnny rolled his eyes towards Nanaki gratefully, dipping his head. "_Exactly,_" He stressed, "It won't take but a _minute_." Why'd he have to play doctor, anyways? He was a scientist!

Saitek growled softly from behind Vincent, who had yet to stir during the conversation. He looked up at his adopted uncle, whining softly. "Vincent-"

Vincent looked down at him, and Saitek saw perhaps a bit of sympathy, but definitely no alliance there. The cub whined again, looking back over to Johnny and his father. "But Daad-"

"Saitek." Nanaki murmured, a warning tone in his voice.

The cub whimpered, slowly stepping out from behind Vincent's legs. "Fine," he grumbled, "But when I'm dead and you guys gotta dig a hole and bury me in it I hope you all remember that it was _your fault_." He huffed at them, lowering his head dejectedly as Johnny beckoned to him. Saitek began to follow the doctor back down the hallway they'd come from before he suddenly hesitated, turning his head back towards Vincent. "If I live through this, we'll go get Leon, right?" He asked hopefully, ears lifting.

Vincent looked over at Nanaki briefly, then nodded.

Saitek grinned widely, showing a mouth full of canine teeth. "Awesome!" He chirped, and finally rounded the corner of the hallway with Johnathon.

Nanaki sighed, shaking his head but smiling pleasantly – that is, without showing his teeth. "He's been beside himself ever since the fight. 'Leon' this, and 'Leon' that."

Vincent was able to detect the pride beneath Nanaki's words, and allowed a small smile to tug at the corners of his mouth.

Nanaki continued, his voice taking a more sober turn. "He's growing so quickly..."ears twitched at a sudden small sound from Vincent and he looked up at him, narrowing his eyes suspiciously. "What?"

"Nothing." Vincent said with a deep rumble, and Nanaki huffed.

"Just wait until it happens to you." The Lienliek warned him with a small, amused snort.

"Until I grow up?" Vincent said, and this time when Nanaki looked at him he could see the amused glint in the ex-Turks eyes.

"Yes, Vincent," he said sarcastically, "Until you grow up."

Vincent might've grinned at him then, though if he did Nanaki missed the expression as his friend turned and headed towards the second floor balcony. Nanaki huffed at him again, grinning himself as he followed.

Xander wasn't in the main foyer. It didn't take long to find him though, standing outside and talking quietly to himself. Vincent knew better, understanding that the Turk was communicating through the small chip implanted into the base his skull, and approached quietly. Xander noticed him, holding a hand up as he quickly ended the conversation.

"Vincent!" Xander exclaimed, turning and facing the ex-Turk directly. "It's good to see you've recuperated, all things considering."

Vincent didn't miss the warning tone beneath the Turk's voice. "My apologies."

Xander waved his hand again, taking a few steps closer to the ex-Turk until he stood only a couple of feet away. "No matter. Your friend explained your... predicament, to me. Though I must ask you not to refrain from informing us of any other odd habits you may have. It is imperative that we be prepared for such unexpected anomalies."

"I understand."

" Good! Well then, I'm sure you have been informed of my findings regarding this stolen helicopter here," Xander swept his arm back, motioning to the machine still parked in the mansion's front courtyard. "Mind telling me about it?" The Turk turned his complete attention back to Vincent, his left eye twitching as the pupil dilated.** (4)**

Well aware he was being recorded, Vincent asked, "Where would you like me to begin?"

"Start from anywhere." The Turk said, and despite his jovial tone it was obvious he wanted every detail, from the beginning.

"Very well." Vincent murmured, beginning his story – and he told him everything. From finding the girl, Rinoa Heartilly, to his visit and investigation at the North Base and crater, as well as the subsequent attacks. He also explained his theory behind the attacks, mentioning Jenova and her unique ability to infect and consume. He said all of this as forwardly as possible, his voice and tone level and monotonous. At the end of his tale, Xander looked... skeptical, eyes widened for several long, suspenseful moments as the concept grilled in his brain.

" So," The Turk began, his eyes narrowed on Vincent. "Let me get this straight. A _virus_wiped out North Base?"

"Yes." Vincent replied dryly.

" An _alien_virus?"

"Yes."

Xander's eyes narrowed further. He lifted a hand to his chin, tapping it thoughtfully. "The same alien virus that was recorded, defeated, over five hundred years ago?"

"Her defeat has never been accurately confirmed." Vincent reminded him patiently.

"Yes. That's true, isn't it?" Xander mused, lifting his head to the sky and sighing wistfully. "Or, you know, it could've been Wutai."

Vincent refrained from the urge to roll his eyes. "It was not Wutai."

" Are you _absolutely_certain?" Xander asked, looking back at him with... wary sort of apprehension.

"_Yes_." Vincent growled. "This isn't something Shinra should use as an excuse to start a war. Not when there are more important threats to be addressed."

"Such as your virus, huh?" Xander shrugged, shoving his hands into the pockets of his uniform. A moment of silence passed between them in which Xander's lips twisted thoughtfully. He stared at Vincent, attempting to decipher just how serious the practically immortal ex-Turk was. Vincent's gaze was unwavering, his shoulders were set and he did not look away. Pretty serious, in Xander's book.

He sighed suddenly and slumped his shoulders, shaking his head as he said, "Alright, I'll send them a copy. There's nothing more I can do than just relay the information, after all. As long as I get paid, right?" He grinned at Vincent, grinning even wider when Vincent's eyebrow began to crawl upwards.

Xander rolled his eyes, walking closer and stopping now a foot away. He looked around for a moment before leaning in a little, his voice dropping to something over a hushed whisper. The Turk's left eye moved, synchronized with the right for the first time since his arrival.

" Look," He began, ignoring the way Vincent's eyebrow joined the first when he dropped his demeanor and adopted a more careless tone. " I don't really care either way, alright? This alien, virus concept? Jenova? I'm not stupid. I've done my history, I know what she did. I know all about the whole, Jenova Crisis, and I also know you was there for it. You was _in_it! I -know- all the stuff that happened. And if that's really what's going on here, it's way, **way**, over my head. 'Kay?"

" I'm a Turk," Xander continued unhindered, running a hand through his short red hair before sliding a hand into his pocket. "I'm a damn _good_Turk. There's been a Turk in my family for _generations._I do my job - but I ain't stupid. And I know you ain't stupid, nor are you delusional or prone to erratic dementia. When it comes to kidnappings, assassinations, sabotage – I'm your professional. But something like that? Way over my head." Xander sniffed, brushing a sleeve over his cheek. His fingers twitched, wanting something to hold. His eyes darted around again, and when he looked back at Vincent they narrowed into something vicious and calculating. "So, before I go and do something stupid, tell me the honest to goddess truth – Do you really, _really_, think it's this... Jenova, again?"

Vincent stared at Xander for several long seconds, both eyebrows lifted a couple of millimeters higher than usual and his eyes just slightly more open then before. He had expected denial. He had expected the concept to be completely rejected. He had expected Xander to refute the information, deny him any further privileges and had even expected the attempt to confine him to the mansion.

He did not expect for the Turk's professional demeanor to change on a dime. For a brief moment, Vincent seriously contemplated the chances of a split personality. Although a part of him, buried somewhere deep inside, could appreciate the abrupt alteration.

"Yes." He finally answered.

Xander stared at him for a moment longer, then backed away and patted his pockets. "Alright, well, in that case, I guess it doesn't really matter anymore, right?" He said, fishing out a crumpled pack of cigarettes from the inside pocket of his distinctive coat. Two swift movements later and he'd taken out a lighter and ignited a cigarette, inhaling deeply. He motioned to the helicopter. "You going to go after your friend, right?"

Vincent nodded, watching the estranged Turk cautiously.

"Take it with you then. Shinra won't miss it, they still don't know it's gone. 'Destroyed in battle', y'know?" Xander lowered his hand, exhaling smoke through his mouth and nose. "I don't know if they're gonna buy the idea of an alien destroying their prize base. I think it'd be better if they did though, right?"

"It would make things easier." Vincent agreed.

Xander nodded. "To be honest, I really don't think they will. Shinra's just been -waiting- for an excuse to go after Wutai. It's pathetic, and in hindsight, awfully ironic. Isn't this similar to the situation five-hundred years ago? Only back then it was, what.. Mako?" The Turk frowned distastefully at the word.

" Yes," Vincent agreed with a small war between Wutai and Shinra had occurred because of Shinra's obsession with monopolizing all the available sources of mako. Believing that Wutai held an abundance of such outlets, Shinra had forced itself onto the small western country in an effort to take hold of their supply. Wutai had not taken kindly to the intrusion. The only difference between then and now was the substitute of oil and coal in place of Mako.

"And now that there are cases of open Mako being reported left and right suddenly..."

"They'll be more than desperate for an excuse to invade Wutai." Vincent finished, well aware.

" Yup," Xander continued flawlessly, "Which means, and I'll bet my fake eye on this, Shinra won't give a fuck who blew up their base so long as they can blame it on Wutai." He shook his head. "They're a bunch of idiots, all of them." He finished off his cigarette, tossing it to the ground with a careless flick. "I'm going to leave a division of troops here. After the fight a few days ago the monsters have all but disappeared but it's better to be prepared. Especially given the location, in light of recent news." He looked at Vincent pointedly. "I'm going to head back to Edge, see what I can do there. Dr. Conolly is inside, you may want to tell her what you told me. I think she's probably going to be one of our best authoritiesthe matter.

If there's anything else you need," Xander ducked his head suddenly, lifting his hand to his eye and tapping the surface with a finger. When he pulled away, a small, iris-sized transparent disc floated gently on the pad of his digit. He held it out to Vincent, who took the minuscule disc carefully. "Use that, I know you got one of those implants and this'll connect you directly with me. I can't promise any miracles, but you know as well as I do that having connections is an absolutely invaluable resource."

" Why the sudden change of heart?" Vincent asked, looking up from the disc on his finger. It was hard for him to trust everything that Xander was suddenly piling on him. Some part of him absentmindedly noted suddenly the Turk had become more than willing to talk after Vincent's recollection of the attack on the North Base. One part of him commended the Turk for being open-minded of the possibility, but another part – a tiny, tiny part – felt a small degree of disappointment for how quickly the professional Turk would drop his professional demeanor.

Xander paused, twisting his mouth as he considered his words. "I may not know you very well, other than facts and records. But I do know that my umpteenth-something-great grandfather worked with you. So, even though I don't know him at -all-, except he was the first Turk in our family, I still sort of feel like... I know you, y'know?" Xander shook his head, rubbing the back of his neck. "Sounds kind of stupid in hindsight. Let's just say that I respect you, for what you _are_and what you were."

"Fair enough." Vincent replied smoothly, turning as Xander headed past him into the mansion.

**.:`'~ Legacy ~'`:.**

"His memories?" Cloud asked Shiva, eyebrows furrowing concernedly.

'_It brings it's own,_' she responded softly, brushing the sleeping boy's hair away from his face. '_There are many trapped in there and it cannot fit properly; it cannot expand.'_Her lips pursed briefly and she looked up to fix Cloud with a narrow-eyed gaze. '_I suppose since you're here, you may as well do good and get rid of it.'_

Cloud stared at her for several seconds. "What am I supposed to do?" Get rid of the fire? How was he going to get rid of it...?

A sudden wave of frozen energy slammed into him and threw him across the room. His body hit the barrier behind him with an echoing thud and Cloud winced as he slid to the ground. Waves of crushing force continued to crash against him, pinning him against the crackling barriers at his backside. In an instant a sheet of frost overlapped his skin in a thin, icy blanket.

_'Get.. __**RID **__of it!" _Shiva snarled, bearing down with all the fury of winter and ice on Cloud's form. '_I care not for how you do it, but as long as you are here, an unwelcome dangerous threat to my lion's mind, you ease the pain you have caused!'_

Disoriented from the sudden attack, Cloud grimaced and rolled his head back. His body tensed beneath the sheet of ice in an attempt to break it, but everytime it cracked another layer piled on.

'_I wouldn't suggest doing that_,' Shiva said coldly, '_You are powerless here. A figment of his imagination as much as we are. The only difference is that we here, whereas you... and your fire... are intruders'_ She had yet to move from her position, continuing to hold the sleeping boy quietly in her lap and stroking a hand through his hair. '_Carbuncle!'_

Suddenly the barrier behind Cloud disintegrated at the same time another powerful gust of wind threw him backwards. Instinctively he threw his arms up as the raging inferno engulfed him, flames roaring and whipping about his body with a fierce, dreadfully familiar intensity. Memories he had long ago buried came raging to the surface and Cloud's eyes widened as the room disappeared from before him; Shiva, Carbuncle and the sleeping boy fading into a more familiar, nightmarish image.

Nibelheim burned before him.

The village was in an uproar as monstrous, red hot flames crackled and leapt from building to building. The smell of smoke and burning timber filled the air, choking the oxygen out of the hot wind that rushed through the center of the small mountain town. Cloud's eyes widened at the all too familiar scene of that fateful night, staring helplessly at the blurred, faded image of Tifa Lockhart wandering through the burning flames, her mouth screaming words that faded into the roars of the flames.

He sat up with a grimace, his blue eyes squinting through the bright, intense heat surrounding him. It was unbearably hot, he could feel the flames burning across his skin. Cloud's heart raced in a nearly forgotten way, thudding painfully in his chest with a terrified pace.

This isn't real, he told himself. It's a dream. It's a dream.

There was a sudden rush of fire leaping towards him and Cloud instinctively rolled to the right, coming up to a partial crouch with his back to the still standing water tower in the center of town.

It this was a dream, it was a very _real_dream. He could feel the heat around him, could smell it and taste it as he choked down gasps of smoky air. In the distance he could've sworn he heard an eery, mocking laughter echoing through the fire before it was overcome by a familiar voice.

"Cloud!"

Cloud's eyes squinted, bright blue and mako-enhanced yet unable to make out the figure distorted by flames.

"Cloud!" The voice called again, closer this time.

"Zack?"

"Get up!" The figure was closer now, and Cloud's eyes widened at the familiar, spiky-hair he could see silhouetted in the flames. A hand reached out and Cloud took it, hauled quickly to his feet. Suddenly everything wavered and became distorted through heat and fire. The voice wasn't the same, either. Instead, an unfamiliar figure stood in front of him suddenly, clad in unique leather clothing and looking entirely too comfortable with the heat despite the fur-trimmed jacket over the other's shoulders.

Cloud squinted at him as confusion settled in. Who was this? Where was Zack? The reactor... They needed to get to the reactor.

The other had a fierce look on his face, stormy gray eyes narrowed speculatively as he stared at Cloud. "We've got to put the fire out."

"Who are you?" Cloud asked, eyes burning from the heat surrounding them. It was unfair that even now, despite having come to terms with the tragic events long ago, he should still be made to suffer in his memory.

"Squall." The other replied sternly, turning away and walking through the flames unhindered. "Where's the sorceress?"

" The sorceress?" Cloud asked, following Squall through the fire. The name sounded familiar. He shook his head, his thoughts vague and fuzzy. It didn't matter, anyways. Nibelheim was _burning_. "There was no sorceress, it was Sephiroth. Who are you?" He asked again, his head suddenly reeling.

"I told you, I'm Squall." The other replied firmly, complacently as if he spoke to a child. Squall hesitated in his steps and turned to look back at Cloud, eyes settling on him with a vague interest. "Why are you here?"

"Look, I get the point!" Cloud suddenly argued, "I don't belong here, stop reminding me!"

Squall opened his mouth to reply when he was interrupted by the shrill, ear-piercing scream of a woman. Well, it _could've_been a woman, it sounded more like a mix of monster and human. The sound pierced through the fire and slammed into the both of them bodily, knocking them both off of their feet and sliding across the burnt ground several yards.

Cloud groaned and sat up slowly, shaking his head. His eyes widened when he looked up to make out a large, sinister form approaching them from behind the flames. Tentacles lashed outwards, weaving gracefully through the air. The body was that of a large, thick serpent, dark green with bright, glittering _purple_scales criss-crossing along it's side. Where the head would be, however, was the bust of a lovely woman with long silver hair.

Cloud's breath caught in his throat when he realized who it was before him. He knew her, from her pale, sparkling skin to the metal helmet latched over her skull. The nameplate on the helmet bore one word, capitalized just to announce her presence.

**JENOVA**.

_"Clllllloud..."_ The word, so sinisterly whispered, caressed his mind like a lover's touch, breezing through every recess of his consciousness with a tranquil ease. He couldn't move if he wanted to.

_"Cloud,"_ **she** whispered to him again, hovering in the air over him and weaving back and forth. Cloud was transfixed by the movement, watching **her **float over him. **Her** purple eyes glowed with an energy of their own, cat-slit pupils thinned to narrow black slivers. **Her **lips curled into a lovely smile and a thick, wet purplish tentacle uncurled from **her** waist to gently caress his cheek. _"Will you help me?"_

Cloud's eyes were wide and open, he couldn't bring himself to close them even enough to blink. All he could see was the curve of **her **face, the bridge of **her **nose and the two slitted pupils that split a violet galaxy in half. The tentacle against his cheek was cool and comforting and he leaned into it instinctively, heart beating within his chest **-just for her-**

"_Mother_-" He whispered reverently.

There was a flash of silver and the crack of a gunshot. Jenova screamed loudly as she reared back, the end of a tentacle flying through the air. Cloud grimaced and held his head in agony, her scream resonating within his mind a hundred fold. His eyes burned with the sudden onslaught of tears and the flames of Nibelheim came into a sudden clarity that had been lost. The world came rushing back to him and it left him breathless, gasping for air and shuddering. His mind felt like it had been released from a vice, able to expand with a rush of cool clarity.

"Cloud!" Squall shouted, standing in front of the fallen hero with his gunblade in hand. His eyes locked onto the serpentines form, intent on deciphering his next point of attack as she flailed. The woman reared back, hauling herself twice as high into the air and towering over him. She snarled at him and hissed, her beautiful face transforming into something evil and ugly. Veins sprouted through her temples, crawling down the curves of her cheek and neck to disappear along her collarbone.

"_Foolish boy!"_ The woman snarled, several more tentacles sprouting from her back and waist. Her arms suddenly lengthened, bone and sinew snapping as the elbows bent forwards until her palms placed on the ground, at least the length of her entire snake body. Talons the size of Squall's gunblade scraped into the charred earth and she shrieked a loud, keening cry of challenge. "_Do you know who I am!?"_

"A sorceress," Squall claimed confidently, "I'm not afraid of you."

Shaking his head roughly, Cloud grimaced as he clambered off the ground, disoriented. "It's... not a sorceress," He said, holding his head and ignoring the warm trickle he felt from his ear. "It's Jenova."

" Whatever." Squall replied and Cloud looked at him with a brief, dumbfounded expression. _Whatever_?

The both of them rolled to the side as a large, taloned hand came crashing down on their location. Dust billowed upwards and embers scattered into the air. The long arm swept to the side sharply, slamming into the legs of the water tower. It creaked as it fell over, splinters of wood flying through the air.

Cloud rolled again just as the tower crashed down where he'd been, a powerful torrent of water, much more than there should have been, came rushing out of the broken container. Steam hissed viciously into the air and the flames were drowned out by the crashing water. Strangely, Cloud was completely dry as he quickly came to his feet.

Squall had ducked to the other side from the initial attack, quickly leaping over a wayward tentacle and slashing through it with the edge of Griever. The woman screamed shrilly as the end of her appendage flopped to the ground uselessly, she snarled and whirled around, her thick, powerful tail barreling through the air towards him.

Squall crouched and somersaulted into the air, leaping over the thick tail as it swept beneath him. He landed on the other side in a partial crouch, holding the gunblade out to the side and looking up to see the snake woman had turned her attention to Cloud. Her two, over-sized and crooked arms reached out quickly, one slamming into the ground as Cloud dodged, though the other sideswiped him and knocked him off of his feet, quickly pinning him with the five large talons of her left hand.

She hissed victoriously as she loomed over him, her long, silver hair draping down towards him. "_Clloouuud―AAAaAAahhHH!"_She screamed suddenly, reeling back and coiling on herself. Her left arm flailed around in a stub, squirting an acidic purple liquid onto the ground where it sizzled upon impact. Her other over-sized arm curled around and scrabbled at her sides, unable to grab her injured shoulder and leaving her writhing in pain.

Squall stood from where he'd landed after his attack, his eyes focused on Jenova. He looked down at Cloud dismissively. "You know, for a dream, I thought you'd be a little more useful than this."

Cloud's eyes narrowed. "A dream?" He didn't appreciate the insulting tone beneath Squall's voice and scowled. "Useful?" He asked rhetorically, bringing his hand back, satisfied as he gripped the hilt of First Tsurugi confidently in his hand. He pulled the heavy bladed out from it's sheath, twirling it characteristically in the air when he suddenly froze and stared at it. The blade in his hand was heavy, wide and blunt, but it wasn't First Tsurugi.

The buster sword still felt familiar to him. An extension of his own arm, it's rusted, black blade sliced the air with a keening whistle. Strangely enough it was wrapped in dirty, faded bandages. From the base of the hilt to the point of the blunt end the weapon was encircled with tattered cloth. Cloud didn't think much of it, though, once he recognized the sword. Instead, he suddenly shoved Squall to the side and ducked low, saving the both of them from the tapering, whip-like tip of Jenova's tail.

She snarled and hissed ferociously, sliding across the distance with a graceful curve of her snake-like body and diving down towards them. Squall rolled to the side, whereas Cloud jumped out of the way and whirled around, heaving the heavy blade of the buster sword around in a tremendous arc towards her exposed back -

And cutting straight through her torso, virtually splitting her bust from her snake like portion. Her torso went flying through the air as her thick, snake body writhed and coiled in on itself, flopping and slashing through the air in a dismembered craze. The upper half of her body hit the ground and bounced, sliding a few feet as the broken spine arched into the air. Her limbs flailed, the stubbed left shoulder showering the ground around her with bubbling purple ooze as she screamed and hissed and snarled; ugly, grotesque sounds from the pit of her throat.

Cloud watched the death throes with an calmed, angry demeanor. His grip twisted against the handle of the buster sword noisily and he took in deep, heavy breaths. "You're dead Jenova. Get over it." He told the writhing carcass coldly, straightening and twirling the large blade of First Tsurugi. Droplets of her acidic blood flew off of the blade before he swung it around and hitched it over his back, looking over to see Squall standing and shaking his head.

"You okay?" He asked and the other nodded, taking a few steps towards him.

A banshee cry keened through the air, startling both warriors to look over and find that the torso was healing itself. Muscle and sinew expanded from it's broken spine, purple liquid twirling and bonding together before it solidified into flesh and scales. Her left arm sprang outwards with a sickening slop of juice and air, the bone cracking audibly when the elbow bent forwards again and her talons expanded sharply. The transition took all of five seconds, just long enough for the fighters to overcome their surprise but too late to do anything about it.

Fully reconstructed, the towering Jenova snake turned towards them, fury brimming in her violent, purple eyes as Cloud withdrew the buster sword again with the whisper of metal. He tensed and prepared to attack -

"_Traitor!"_ She hissed, and the word stabbed into his head like a heated dagger, driving itself into his skull painfully. Cloud winced and stumbled, one hand grasping his hair tightly as he grimaced.

"_**Failure!"**_ She snarled, and the word hit Cloud with the physical force of a behemoth, throwing him back until he collided and crashed through the charred wall of a building behind him. The building creaked and groaned from the sudden onslaught before it collapsed and buried Cloud beneath a pile of smoldering rubble.

Squall didn't seem to notice, or if he did he concentrated on defeating the enemy instead of rushing to an ally's aid. He hefted the gunblade in his hand with an expert ease, his grip tightening with a creak of leather around the handle of the weapon. The sorceress turned towards him with a snarling hiss, weaving in the air over him. A moment passed between them before he launched himself forward and into the air, bringing Greiver up and over his head and hurling the blade downwards as he fell –

A tentacle side-swiped him and threw him out of the air. He collided to the ground with a heavy thud, quickly getting back to his feet and charging forward again. He dodged one tentacle, jumped over another and lifted his sword again. This time his aim was true, he could see it as he her last attack missed, rushing over him by millimeters. Squall knew he'd earned his victory, brought his sword down –

"Squall!"

Rinoa stared back at him fearfully, her dark eyes wide with fear as she cowered and held her arms up. The both of them knew her pale limbs would do nothing against Greiver. Squall's eyes widened and his heart leapt in terror, knowing that there was no way to stop the blade from slicing through her arms and cutting her in half. No way to stop the momentum.

Everything slowed down. He could see her eyes full of fear, hurt and betrayal. Most of all, he could see her forgiveness. She accepted her fate willingly just like she had at the Sorceress Memorial. Whatever it took.

The glint of light on the gunblade was deadly, blood splattered into the air ---

Squall awoke with a dizzying start, jerking himself up so quickly that he nearly fell out of the bed. Flames, water and smoke that had surrounded him moments ago faded quickly into the darkened, quiet room around him. He was burning up, his skin coated with a fine sheen of sweat that trickled down his shoulders and chest. Every breathless gasp of air he took burned in his lungs and he nearly choked on the humidity.

Several minutes passed, spent with him blinking rapidly and attempting to clear his head of the remnants of his dream.

Dream.

It had been a dream.

All of it.

He took in several deep breaths in an attempt to calm himself. His wildly beating heart thumped painfully in his chest and he grimaced as he swallowed dryly. Thirsty. He was so _thirsty_. It was so _hot_. Licking his lips Squall turned to the bedtable next to him, disappointed to see that the water bowl had been removed. There was no glass, either.

He needed water.

Throwing his blankets off, Squall grimaced as his shoulder and leg complained when he slowly stood. The room wavered a little in the after effect of his dream and he waited for everything to still before he made his way to the door carefully. His leg, despite having an alleged hole in it, didn't seem to complain from the use except for a dull ache.

The door was unlocked when he tried – why would it be? – it and opened smoothly, creaking softly. Squall walked down the empty hallway, ignoring the doors to his left and right as he made his way through the small, wooden cabin. It was dark, and if it weren't for the dimly flickering candles hanging off the walls he wouldn't have been able to see anything.

The kitchen was to his right at the end of the hallway, sharing space with a small living room that looked bare and contemporary. It took a moment to find a glass and when he did he filled it with cold water from the tap, quickly downing the entire glass with several long, healthy gulps. It was a refreshing drink and he quickly had another glass, finishing it off just as smoothly.

"Squall?" A quiet voice asked behind him.

He jumped, turning around to see Rinoa standing at the end of the hallway, fully dressed. She bit her lip.

"Is everything okay?" She asked.

Squall looked at her for a long moment before looking away. "Yeah."

"Oh." She was quiet for a moment, hesitating. "Are you... alright? To be out of bed, I mean. Does your leg hurt?"

He heard the shuffle of movement behind him as she stepped into the kitchen. Squall set the glass on the counter and turned back around. "I'm fine." he answered. "It doesn't hurt much."

"Oh." She said again, rubbing her arm. She looked past him to the glass and then back again, her eyes suddenly widening in realization. "Oh no! I'm so sorry! I forget to put a glass out for you!"

Of all the things she could've said at that moment, that was something he hadn't been expecting. He stared at her for several long, mind-numbing seconds as he tried to comprehend. "Don't worry about it." Squall finally said. "Is there a shower?"

"Y-Yeah.." She said hesitantly, frowning a little. "Are you sure you're okay for a shower, though? I mean, you're still hurt..."

"I'm fine." He said again. "Where is it?"

Rinoa frowned at him fully now, her entire posture awkward. "It's in the hallway. Second to the right. Uhm, there should be clean towels. Uhm, do you... uh, need help?" She asked suddenly, her face flushing with color as she looked at the ground.

Squall stared at her for a moment, finding her strange shyness endearing but... concerning. Why was she acting like he was going to... He winced at the memory of the dream. "No." He finally said, "I'll be fine. Just... stay here. I won't be long."

"Okay.... I know!" She suddenly exclaimed, looking up quickly with a small clap. "I'll fix us some food while we wait! Are you hungry?"

Squall shrugged and moved passed her, making a conscious effort not to get too close. "Sure, whatever."

**.:`'~ Legacy ~'`:.**

…_**..............:`' ~ Author's Notes ~'`:................ **_

1) I can't remember if Ellone had short hair in the flashbacks.

2) He really does say that exact line in FF8. Well, he thinks it anyways. It's in the script!

3) Did you yawn too? I sure did!

4) Xander is equipped with a state-of-the-art cybernetic eye implant. Long story short, it does everything an optical device ought to be able to do and then some. Also, I apologize for another characterization going 180 on everyone, but this is sort of how he's meant to be, in a semi-split-personality sort of way. Not even really that, so much as business is business, and vice versa.

THANK YOU very very much to Hikaru and TypoDemon for betaing for me! As well as City of Dis for helping me with the first scene in this chapter! I apologize for forgetting to put a thank you note in this earlier, I was a little under the weather when I posted it and my head was off in la-la land. Also, thank you very much Strange and Intoxicating -rsa- for nominating Legacy for the GA! :3


	11. New Voice

**_.:`'~ Legacy ~'`:._ **

**Chapter Ten**

_-=-=-=-=-=-_

We've seen our share of ups and downs  
Oh how quickly life can turn around  
In an instant  
It feels so good to reunite  
Within yourself and within your mind  
Let's find peace there

_-=-=-=-=-=-_

The last thing Cloud remembered before he woke up was the image of a burning building falling towards him. He awoke with a start, eyes wide and gasping for breath. Instantly he realized that Nibelheim was gone. He was back in a landscape that was all too familiar, a bright white world laying out for miles around him.

_Had it all been a dream?_

But it had felt so _real. _He hastily rubbed his face with a shaking hand, feeling anger flood his mind when he recalled what had just happened. _Damn it!_ Why now? What did it mean? And for Hyne's sake where the hell was he? Perhaps it had been a nightmare. Something brought on by fears he thought he'd conquered long ago. It left a bad taste lingering in the back of his mouth.

He thought he heard something and became very still, listening closely.

_Voices?_

Great. Now he really was going crazy. Although hearing voices in his head wasn't entirely new to him. But then he realized they weren't in his head. Cloud listened carefully and realized that they were coming from the air around him. It was hard to tell. He stood slowly and continued to listen, unable to discern the direction. At one point it sounded like they had come from his left, but when he turned that way they were coming from another direction entirely.

He obviously wasn't seeing anything, either.

He strained his senses, stretching his Mako-enhanced hearing and focusing. The voices slowly came into better focus and he tried harder, clenching his hands into fists at his sides and closing his eyes. He could hear two of them distinctly. A male and female. And one of them sounded familiar...

Then they abruptly faded, echoing into the far distance beyond what he could reach. Cloud focused harder but lost them. Either they'd gone too far and faint for him to pick up or they stopped talking altogether. Loosening his fists he stared hard at a nameless point in the distance, taking in a deep breath before shouting,

"Hello?!"

His voice carried an echo as it disappeared into the colorless expanse. He listened to it until it was gone. There was nobody there to answer. It was quiet. He could hear the blood running through his body and the heart beating his chest. His ears filled with the static of silence. Cloud's shoulders slowly began to drop but he tried again.

"Hello?! Can you hear me?!"

_C'mon, answer... I know someone's there._

To his surprise, someone did answer.

**.:`'~ Legacy ~'`:. **

The towels were where Squall expected to find them. He shut the bathroom door behind him and with a second thought locked it. The bathroom was quaint, featuring a full bath and shower with enough room to maneuver comfortably. It wasn't very big; if Squall decided for some random reason to lay down he would just fit between the door and the edge of the bath. It's contemporary white coloration was accented with dark blue trim – the same color as the towel Squall set down on the sink counter. He heaved a great relaxing sigh and shook off the remnants of the dream. The water from the shower head came out with a loud hiss and a steady pressure when he turned it on.

Looking into the mirror Squall thought he looked a lot more tired than he felt, especially given the state of his injuries. He ran some cold water into the sink, splashing it onto his face carelessly as he leaned over the sink -

**Hello?!**

Squall jerked upwards, yelping when his head hit the medicine cabinet above him. He grimaced and slowly straightened, squinting into the mirror to see no one in the room with him. It sounded like it had come from _directly_ behind him - right next to him even. Or now as he thought about, in front of him.

As if the mirror could lie he turned and looked over the bathroom with his own eyes, cold steel gray narrowing at the sight of nothing but the steam of the shower rising to the ceiling. Squall listened carefully for a moment longer before dismissing it. He turned back to the mirror and reached up to take the bandages off of his chest, turning his body to the side for a better view.

**Hello?! Can you hear me?!**

This time the voice was louder. It sounded like it had been _right in his ear. _No, not in his ear. In his friggin' _head_.

Squall jerked to the side and hit the bathroom door with a loud thud. His eyes searched the room quickly and his frustration grew when he yet again found nothing. A moment later a familiar voice on the other side of the door made him jump again. He inwardly cursed.

"Squall, is everything alright?" Rinoa asked softly.

He turned his head a little, looking over the bathroom in front of him before answering, "Yeah."

"Are you okay? I heard a bang-"

"I'm fine." He snapped without intending to, feeling a small shard of guilt stab him.

There was a pause of silence before he could hear the sound of hesitant footsteps walking back down the hallway. Squall let out a breath he hadn't been aware he was holding, running his hand over his face and scratching the diagonal scar there out of habit.

_I'm going crazy, _he thought.

**Who are you? **

The voice sounded more than a little anxious. Cautious, perhaps. But he heard it clear as day. Squall jumped -again-, this time away from the door. He stumbled back with a clumsy disgrace until the back of his legs hit the toilet, which he fell onto. "What the- Where are you?!" He growled angrily, attempting to keep his voice low enough so that Rinoa wouldn't hear and come checking again, half-expecting no answer.

**So you _can_ hear me?**

Squall's eyes darted around suspiciously. There was no one in this room and there was no way it was coming from anywhere else but... "Of course I can," He muttered quietly, "Who are you? _Where_ are you?" It was a question born out of necessity.

There was a heavy pause afterwards with no answer. Just as Squall began to wonder if he'd imagined everything the voice spoke again.

**I think... I'm in your head.**

That wasn't what Squall wanted to hear. He crinkled his forehead with a look of disdain. "It's rude. Get out."

**I don't know how.**

Squall exhaled sharply. "Look, if you want to talk we can talk face to face. I refuse to talk to someone _in my head_." Memories flashed through his mind for a quick moment, recalling those times when he'd suffer in visions of the past to follow his father. It seemed like it had happened so long ago but he would never forget the frustration it'd brought.

He listened carefully, anxiously waiting to see if whoever it was had paid attention. In hindsight, that was sort of stupid. When he received none, though, a sense of relief washed through him. However, the shower didn't seem so appealing anymore, unfortunately. It hadn't in the first place really, but now he didn't even want to bother. He stood.

**Is your name Squall?**

Damn it.

"Shut up." He scowled and shut off the water, leaving the bathroom and walking down the hallway back towards the bedroom. A soft voice called out from behind him.

"Squall?"

He stopped and looked over his bandaged shoulder to see Rinoa standing at the front of the hallway. She had an odd expression on her face and was watching him carefully. He could tell that she'd heard him talking, though he wasn't sure if she'd heard what he was saying. Squall unclenched the fists he hadn't realized he'd made. "Yeah?"

"Dinner's ready." Rinoa announced and the odd look was replaced by a warm smile. A smile that did nothing but send strange and uncalled for tingles of alarm through Squall's body.

"Alright. I'll be there in a minute." He turned away and walked into the bedroom, shutting the door behind him. A quick search rewarded him with his clothes and he changed into them, wincing as his leg ached with complaint, though the stiffness of his pants helped to relieve the pain a little after he'd put them on.

The voice hadn't responded to him for several minutes. He wondered if it was gone. He _hoped_ it was gone. The last thing he needed was for voices to be speaking to him, especially ones he didn't know. Although, now that he thought about it, he suddenly realized that it had seemed familiar. Not as familiar as Rinoa's soft voice or Seifer's condescending tones, but something he felt he'd be able to recognize if he actually tried to.

Squall's brow furrowed again as he concentrated, standing in the middle of the bedroom with one hand on his hip and the other against his chin. It must've been recen-

His eyes snapped open widely.

_The dream!_

Was it... him?

Squall felt a rush of adrenaline at the thought when he realized he could have gotten some answers. Especially if what Nanaki and Vincent had said were true. But that didn't make -sense-, did it? Why would he be in his head?

Summon. Guardian Force. They were nearly the same despite the worldly difference. And Squall _had_ drawn the summon from the Materia. Could Cloud really be...?

It seemed so simple when he thought about it.

Squall took in a deep breath, partially unable to believe he was about to do this.

"Are you... still there?" He asked quietly, unsure of the merit behind his idea.

**Yeah.**

Squall let go the breath he'd been holding, lowering his hands to his sides. "Is your name Cloud?"

There was a moment of silence before the voice responded again, this time with hesitance. **Yeah. Squall, right?**

Squall sighed and stepped back awkwardly until he sat on the bed, resting his elbow on his knee and grabbing his forehead. "Yeah."

There was a long, awkward silence. Squall didn't know exactly what to say and he wagered neither did Cloud. He decided to start with the most recent event and work his way back.

"So you were in my dream?" He asked, making sure to keep his voice subdued. He wondered if Cloud could hear his thoughts.

**Your dream? **Cloud's voice didn't sound entirely convinced and he continued, **I thought it was my nightmare.**

Squall frowned slightly. "But it was in my head."

**Yeah. It was... but... they were my memories.**

The SeeD couldn't argue with that, he couldn't recall anything like that ever happening to him. Despite the knowledge he had now that junctioning a Guardian Force was accompanied with a loss of memory. "That's true. How did that happen?"

**I'm not sure. **

A sudden realization struck Squall. In the dream he and Cloud had been fighting an entity, a monster named Jenova. It reminded him of the danger that lurked just a few rooms down, the possibility that the monster, alien, virus – whatever, could be in Rinoa. Vincent had said Cloud might know how to fix it.

"Cloud, what can you tell me about Jenova?"

The silence that followed was thick and heavy. Squall could somehow, he didn't know why, feel the waves of anxiety roll through him. Caution. Fear. Danger. Anger. All of which didn't belong to him. When Cloud spoke next his words were laced heavily with suspicion.

**Why do you want to know?** His words were very sharp. It was clearly not something he wanted to discuss, but Squall pressed ahead fearlessly.

"I need to know-"

"Squall?"

He jerked his head up as the door creaked open, following a soft knock. Rinoa's head peeked in from around it, her long hair swaying.

"Who are you talking to?" She asked. Squall felt those same, strange tingles of alarm roll through his body. He looked at her carefully, noticing the strangely rigid posture she kept. She was looking at him with a small amount of concern, but when he looked more closely he could see suspicion lurking in her eyes.

Suspicion of what?

"No one." He finally answered, standing from the bed. He wondered if Cloud could hear Rinoa. "Sorry I kept you waiting."

Rinoa smiled at him. "No problem. Come on, before it gets cold." She pushed the door open for him and waited until he walked by before following.

Squall found it impossible to relax his body. His posture was tense, every muscle teeming with preparation. Instincts he'd long since developed for battle warning him of danger. He exhaled slowly and once again wondered if Cloud would be able to hear him think... Squall focused.

_Can you hear me?_

**I can hear you. **Cloud's voice still sounded clipped and short. Guarded.

Squall felt relieved. This would make things easier, though he'd have to try and keep his attention aware while he carried on.

_Good._ He said, er, thought. _Can you hear who I'm talking to?_

The answer came a bit more slowly. **Vaguely. It's very faint. **

_I need you to listen. _

**Why? What's going on? **Cloud didn't sound very interested. In fact, he sounded like he didn't want to talk anymore.

_Just do it._

Squall's thoughts were interrupted as he stumbled into the table. He blinked and stepped back, cursing inwardly at his clumsiness. Rinoa was upon him in an instant with a concerned frown on her face.

"Squall, are you alright? Why don't you sit down? You need to be easy on that leg of yours... I'll get your drink for you."

Normally never one to be grateful for an injury, Squall sat down with a small show of pain. His leg hadn't been the cause of his stumble at all. He was lucky Rinoa wasn't able to catch things like that.

**What's wrong with your leg? **Cloud's voice was mildly curious. Squall could _still_ hear a sharp edge to it though, as if he'd been offended.

_Nothing._ _I'll tell you later._

Cloud didn't bother saying anything else and Squall hoped he'd gotten the picture. He focused on the table in front of him, noticing the warm soup Rinoa had prepared for his meal. It smelled _really_ good, actually. A mix of meat and vegetables, the addition of herbs and spices wafting into the air with steam. Squall realized he was actually quite hungry and picked up his spoon, digging in. It was as delicious as it smelled.

Rinoa set a glass of water in front of him and a chair scraped against the floor as she pulled it out and sat on it. She set her elbow on the tabletop and rested her cheek in the palm of her hand, smiling at him as she watched him eat. Squall didn't really pay any mind. It wasn't long before half of his soup was gone.

"Do you like it?" She asked proudly.

"It's good." He said, looking at her. "Aren't you hungry?" She didn't have a bowl or glass for herself.

Rinoa shook her head. "No, I ate earlier."

Squall didn't say anything. He let silence take over and focused on finishing his soup. He could feel Rinoa watching him and it felt like she was waiting for something, so he decided to try and press his luck. Maybe it was because he had Cloud to listen in that he felt a little more bold about what he was about to ask, but he couldn't let it sit for too long. He had to find out about this Jenova alien, and the best person would be Cloud, right? To bring Cloud out again he'd need the Lifestream. He'd prefer being able to talk that way. Not to mention it was just -strange- having someone in his head.

"Rinoa."

"Hm?"

"Do you know what the Lifestream is?"

Rinoa's nose scrunched. "The Lifestream?" She seemed to run through her thoughts before slowly shaking her head. "No, why? What is it?"

"It's something they have on this planet. I need to find it... I was hoping you'd seen it." He paused for a moment, "Since.. you can, you know." He pointed to his eyes.

"Oh..." Rinoa's shoulders dropped a little. "Maybe if I knew what it looked like?"

Squall frowned. That he didn't know... But maybe.

_Cloud?_

**It's... green. Like a river. And it glows. **Cloud answered and Squall could hear the strange tone in his voice, mild surprise that he and Rinoa didn't know.

"It's like a green, glowing river." Squall supplied, shifting his weight in his seat and folding his arms across his chest. He'd left his jacket in the room.

"Oh! Wait! Yes, I have seen something like that! Why?" Rinoa sat back in her seat and Squall didn't miss the way she mimicked his seating posture, folding her thin arms across her chest. "What is it?"

Squall didn't answer her questions, instead asking, "Can you take me there?"

There was a noticeable pause before she responded, "I... could. But shouldn't you finish healing before you go anywhere?"

"I'm fine." He said and began to stand, "Can we leave now?"

"Now?" She squeaked. Actually _squeaked._ This wasn't like Rinoa at all. Since when did she become.. _timid? _"I dont' know about _now_ Squall. I mean, it's so late. Wouldn't it be better to wait until daylight? Or at least until you can get some rest?"

"I'm fine. We can go now."

Rinoa frowned a little and stood suddenly, placing her hands on her hips. "No. You can't get there without me and I'm not taking you until you at -least- get a little more rest."

"Rinoa-"

"Nuh uh mister. You just march yourself right back into that room and lay back down." She smiled at him suddenly, tilting her head fondly as she spoke with a more serious, gentle tone. "We'll go tomorrow, okay? I promise. First thing!" Rinoa held up a finger for emphasis as she smiled from behind it.

Squall exhaled heavily. "Fine."

She was acting so strangely. One second shy and timid and then the next something he was more used to. It was like she couldn't decide. It was uncanny and strange and he didn't like it. But he still had a hard time believing that this wasn't Rinoa. Not without some sort of concrete proof. Deep down he knew that it was only his own denial. He wasn't looking closely enough, afraid that he'd find the truth and have to acknowledge it. It was something he was afraid to do, even if he couldn't admit it to himself.

But tomorrow.

Tomorrow his instinct told him he'd get his answers when they found the Lifestream.

**.:`'~ Legacy ~'`:.**

Cloud was right. It was green. It was a river. And it _glowed_.

Squall stood several meters away from the unreal sight, his eyes beholding a river of flowing liquid that shone with a brightness all it's own. It was in a single word, beautiful. No one could deny that. There wasn't a particularly large amount of it, but when his eyes laid sight on it he couldn't help but to draw in his breath. It was the size of a small stream, about ten feet wide at it's longest. He couldn't make out how deep, though for some reason he suspected it was much deeper than it looked. Streams of green, spidery tendrils wafted into the air like seeking tendrils and all around the bank the dirty mud gave way to the brightest grass he'd ever seen, littered with small, blossoming flowers. Squall didn't fail to notice the way the tendrils of floating lifestream drew towards him, which explained why he had chosen to stand just beyond their reach. He wasn't exactly sure what to do from here.

Rinoa stood to the right of him, hovering closer than what he'd like but to step away would be a mistake. He allowed it, ignoring the brush of her warm arm against his. Despite the coolness of the night she didn't seem bothered by it and was staring at the Lifestream with an expression much different than his own small amount of reverence. She looked apprehensive. Nervous. And unlike him, the tendrils didn't seem interested in her at all. If anything, they curved away from her, coming in towards him from the left. She'd been acting strangely ever since he'd asked to come here. A part of him was a little disappointed. He'd think this would be something Rinoa would enjoy. Her reaction now was simply adding more fuel to the fire.

Squall could feel the round shape in his breast pocket within his jacket. The dead, red materia. It was a little familiar to him now, though not nearly as familiar as the gunblade strapped across his back. He was about to brave a step forward when Rinoa suddenly grabbed onto his arm. "Don't go near it!" She whispered fiercely, "It might be dangerous!"

**It's not. **Cloud said immediately. Squall could hear a surprising tone in the other's voice, something he could only describe as relief. **It won't hurt you.**

_I was wondering if you were still around._

"It's not dangerous," Squall said to her, looking towards her curiously. "Why are you so afraid?"

"I'm not afraid!" She pouted and tugged on his jacket sleeve, "Just don't go near it! It might be poisonous or toxic. It's _green_ for crying out loud!"

Squall looked down at her and narrowed his grey eyes. "It's not toxic. It's fine Rinoa. Just stay here." He attempted to shrug her arm off but he was surprised when she didn't let go.

"I'm serious Squall! Don't go over there! Look at it! It's trying to get you...!" She pointed at the tendrils that strayed towards him, a few feet out of reach. Squall looked at them for a moment and glanced back at her, her face and doe eyes outlined in luminescent green.

"It's _fine._" He insisted, his voice hard. Once again he jerked his arm. She let go with one of her hands but kept a grip with the other. Rinoa looked up at him with a frown and an equally hard look in her eyes.

"No, it's -not-." She growled back.

"What's -wrong- with you?" Squall asked quickly, his eyes narrowing even further as he bristled. Was this it then? Was she going to show who she really was? Because this definitely wasn't the Rinoa that he'd fallen in love with. This was... whatever it was, it was childish. "You've been acting strangely ever since we left the house."

Rinoa stared up at him, her brown eyes becoming large and wide. "You just don't understand! We don't know what it is, what if it's evil? What if it will hurt us?"

"It _won't_," Squall insisted again, jerking his arm out of her grip successfully. "Now tell me, what's your problem? Don't ignore the question Rinoa." He prepared himself for any sort of reaction, watching her closely.

She stared at him with her large brown eyes for a moment before making a soft sound. "'Tch. Fine." Rinoa folded her arms across her chest. "I didn't want to come here anyway. I thought I'd humor you though, to see what you wanted with this ugly place. It's disgusting. It stinks." Her nose crinkled with disgust. "But I can't chance you going near it. And for Hyne's sake it's so... damn... _loud!" _She snarled at the Lifestream suddenly with such malice that it surprised Squall and he took a step back. "Shut UP!"

"Rinoa?"

Her head whipped back towards him and he was shocked by the expression on her face. It was an ugly sneer. The way her lips were twisted into a cruel smirk and her eyes narrowed was more than enough to make him shudder. And when he really looked he could see that her eyes were _glowing purple._

**What's going on?**

"Oh stop looking at me like I kicked your puppy." Rinoa muttered and Squall's world suddenly spun in circles. He slammed into something hard and unforgiving, grunting as a shot of pain throbbed through his back as he tumbled to the ground. When his eyes opened the first thing he noticed was that he was laying on his back, several meters away from where he'd been standing before. The object that had broken his fall was a large rock, and he hadn't been falling at all. He'd been _thrown._

"What the - "

Footsteps approached. Soft and light but with purpose. Rinoa came into view standing above him with her hands on her hips. The edges of her long blue coat swayed just beyond the edge of his vision and she was looking at him with a hint of disappointment and disgust. "Oh stop it. Get up." Her foot lifted and Squall's eyes widened. He rolled out of the way just in time to avoid the heel of her boot crashing down where his head had been. Quickly he came into a crouch, reaching for his gunblade –

"Oh, ho? What's wrong Squall? Did you forget something?" Rinoa asked with a sweet voice as his hands clenched around nothing. Squall scowled and looked around the area quickly. Where the hell did it go?

A whistle grabbed his attention. "Lookin' for something?"

Squall looked back at her to see Rinoa twirling the gunblade in her hand as if it were a baton. It was an uncanny sight and very disturbing. He recalled once when she'd tried to pick it up she had to use both hands just to lift it off the ground. But now she flipped it into the air with a practiced ease, catching it with a graceful twist of her wrist and holding it in front of her with an amused gleam in her eyes, lightly running her fingers along the blade.

"Ohhh? You don't look so surprised, schnookums." Rinoa smiled widely at him, thrusting the tip of the weapon into the ground with devastating ease before resting her weight against the gunblade's hilt. The sword was nearly as tall as she was, reminding Squall with crystal clarity just how.. _wrong_ it seemed. "I was sort of hoping for more of a dramatic reaction than you just staring at me."

**What's going on?**

_Perfect timing. You remember that Jenova thing I asked you about?_

**Yes...** Again, Cloud's voice was clipped again and displeased.

_If your friend Vincent is right, then she's taken over Rinoa._

**WHAT?!**

Squall winced, holding his head at the suddenly explosive voice in his mind. _Not so loud!_

**Jenova's -dead-!** Cloud sounded angry now, voice full of denial.

Squall felt it, too. Whatever it was Cloud was feeling was intense. So intense he could feel it wafting through him like an internal wind. Fear, apprehension, fury. Relentless _danger_. It was terrifying. For a moment he wondered if he'd lost control of himself. _Calm... down.._ He growled at Cloud, _I can't think!_

A wave of coolness rushed through him. He could _feel_ Cloud attempting to get his emotions under control and it worked. A little. When Squall refocused on the world around him he saw Rinoa looking at him suspiciously.

No. Not Rinoa.

"Jenova."

One of her eyebrows crawled upwards. "Oh? You know my name? Well, actually. You can call me Rinova. Jenova's old school. I'm the new, improved version you could say." She grinned viciously. It was completely unsettling, especially on Rinova's face. "What's wrong Squally? You look like you're distracted. Or... maybe... is it... something else? Hm? Hey." She kneeled down in front of him within his reach. She stared at him pointedly, expectantly. "Tell me. Are you hearing anything?"

**Squall. You've got to kill her, quickly! **

He could feel a rush of adrenaline surge through him. An overwhelming sense of urgency. Squall's eyes narrowed at the tone in her voice. But she couldn't know! Could she?

"Oh, you bet I can." She giggled.

Squall's eyes widened. "Did you-"

"Yup. I just read your mind." She tapped her forehead, then tapped his. Squall quickly began to stand from where he lay, pushing himself off the ground with his arms and making a lunge for the gunblade.

"Tut-tut, stay still." Rinova said with a soft, sing-song voice and snapped her fingers. Squall gasped as a sudden weight bore down on him heavily. He strained against it but it pulled on him without mercy until his knees hit the soft ground beneath him. Every muscle in his body strained against the force even as it shoved him down back onto the ground. He was barely able to hold himself up with his arms.

"I can do a lot more than that, too." She said mysteriously, her lips crooking into a smile as she giggled again. "Wanna see?"

Rinova was purring as she approached him. Squall wasn't able to do anything but watch helplessly as she came to a stop next to him. He could feel her hand as she ran it through his hair, sweeping his bangs across his forehead. His body trembled against the strain and he grimaced as he struggled to move his body. No matter what he tried he couldn't move it. He couldn't even lift a finger. He wanted to speak but his voice didn't react to his command, his mouth remained silent. _I can't move...!_

Cloud didn't respond.

"Good boy." Rinova said, patting him on the head. Squall growled, if only in his head. "Now... I'll let you talk, but be nice. Okay? No barking. Or I'll put you back on your leash."

Just as easy as she'd said it Squall felt himself regain the ability to speak. He snarled, "What did you do?! Who are you?! Where's Rinoa?!"

Rinova slapped his head with very little force. More of a swat, really. "Nah-ah! Bad boy! I said be nice! No yelling." She pouted at him for a second before her lips creased into a wide smile. Rinova giggled. "I didn't do anything. You're my Knight, right? So you gotta protect me. Just like you promised, remember?"

He growled, anger heating his vision. "You're not Rinoa!"

Rinova sighed, flicking her hand through the air dismissively. "Don't worry bout that scatterbrained twat. She's fine. You're looking at her." She smiled again and lowered herself, clasping her hands behind her back as she knelt towards him. "See? It's me. Your beloved princess. Your sorceress. Your one and only. You love me, right Squall?"

He glared at her.

She frowned and straightened, placing her hands on her hips. "Now that's not very nice is it? You shouldn't be doing that. One might think you were being disloyal. There's no need for a bad knight, good sir. And if you wanna stick around with the cool crowd than you should be on your best behavior! Right?" She made it sound so damn simple, like it was obvious.

Squall growled. This wasn't good. He couldn't move his body. This... thing was acting as if this was just a game and he couldn't hear Cloud anymore. _Cloud, are you there?_

**Yeah.**

Squall noticed the strain in the other's voice. _Are you okay?_

**It's... hard to focus. I can barely hear anything. What's going on? **

Squall's eyes narrowed and he returned his attention to Rinova, who was once more looking at him with a knowing look. "Well. You seem pretty informed so I guess I'm gonna get right down to business, as boring as _that_ is." Rinova rolled her eyes. She tapped him on the nose and grinned as he huffed angrily. "Stop being so mad, even if it does make you look cute. This isn't gonna be so bad you know. I'm easy to get along with. Now, you have a choice to make." Rinova's smile widened. She seemed to be very self-assured of her victory.

She was going to be sorely disappointed, Squall vowed. If he could just regain control... How the hell was she doing this?!

"Now pay attention. I'm only gonna explain this once. It's quite simple. You can either A," She held up a finger, "Continue being an idiot and fight against me. But I promise you, it won't be easy. In fact, I'd have to kill you. I don't think I have to tell you just how _easy_ that'd be for me, either. And in the end it wouldn't matter anyways because I'd just take over your corpse."

Rinova held up a second finger. "Or you can go with Plan B, which I highly recommend. You join me. Of your own free will. There won't be any pain for you, only power. The power to do whatever you want. You could go home. We could defeat this Ultimecia woman and all of your friends would be safe. You wouldn't ever have to worry about another thing, so long as you remain by my side as my loyal Knight." She smiled at him, clasping her hands at her back again. "Doesn't sound so bad, now does it?"

**Don't listen to her.** **Don't trust a damn word she says, Squall! **Cloud's voice sounded furious. Squall could feel his anger running through him. It was bordering on contagious and his entire body shook from the intense surge.

"What's the catch?" Squall asked, his voice harsh beneath the strain of his body as he continued to struggle. He couldn't even move his damn fingers.

"No catch, really. I mean, it's not like I'd brainwash you or something. You'd just help me out with a few things here and there." She shrugged, biting her lip playfully. "No biggy, right? Besides, you're a mercenary aren't you? Doesn't that mean you don't really care as long as you get paid?"

He growled. "It doesn't work like that!"

She crinkled her nose. "Well why not?! What's the good of being a mercenary if you don't go to the highest bidder?" Because she was _so_ obviously the highest bidder here. "Fine, whatever. What will your choice be, Squall Leonheart? I'd recommend being smart about this."

"Go to hell."

"I thought that was going to be the case. But you see, what you don't realize is that you really don't have a choice." Rinova stepped closer to him and grabbed his head within both of her hands. Her fingers slid across his jawline and the base of his skull and Squall jerked at the coldness of her touch. The odd part was that it didn't feel like fingers at all... it felt more like _worms_ crawling all over his skin. Worms that were currently looping around his ears and mouth. He screamed as they suddenly plunged into his ears, gagging as the ones near his mouth took advantage of his weakness and went down his throat.

Above him Rinova hummed softly. "Shh, it's okay. It'll be over soon." She pet his head gently with her free hand. He could vaguely feel his hair become tangled in her long, slithering fingertips. It was disgusting and his stomach churned, even as his body ached. Pain exploded in his head and he screamed again as his vision flashed with purple and green, over and over again until it was all he could see. His body spasmed and jerked and he felt a warm trickle running down the sides of his jaw and down his chin.

**Squall!**

Cloud's strained, pain-filled voice was the last thing he heard before everything went dark.

**_.:`'~ Legacy ~'`:._ **

Dr. Conolly stared at Vincent for several long seconds. Nanaki stood at his side and in some distant part of the mansion they could all hear Saitek's poor, pitiful wails. Behind her the computers she had set up whirred noisily as information whizzed by through the air in several floating boxes of blue light. She shoved her hands into the pockets of her lab coat suddenly, tapping her legs anxiously.

"Jenova?" She repeated.

"Yes." Nanaki answered.

Dr. Conolly looked at the Lienliek. "_The_ Jenova? The same one used in the Jenova Project almost five-hundred years ago?"

"Yes." Nanaki said patiently, "I understand it may be hard to believe-"

"I knew it! I _knew_ it!"

"Excuse me?" He blinked at the woman doctor as she suddenly became overjoyed. She turned away from them both suddenly and darted to a computer, swiftly pulling up several complicated looking diagrams with notes hastily scrawled over them.

"I mean, it was just a hunch but I knew I was onto something. This is excellent!"

Nanaki heard Vincent shift next to him and he narrowed his eyes. "I beg your pardon? I don't think you understand. This isn't something to be celebrating, Dr. Conolly."

She didn't answer him at first, murmuring to herself before she spoke again. "I know I know. It's not that I'm celebrating. I'm just excited. Do you have any idea how important this is? This explains so much. I mean, I had an _idea_ but I never really thought it was the case. It ties everything in together. Did she really destroy the -entire- base?"

It took a moment for Nanaki to realize she was expecting an answer. He looked over at Vincent, who didn't look pleased. He didn't look like much of anything, really. The ex-Turk was a professional when it came to looking as calm and stoic as possible through any situation, but Nanaki was capable of catching subtle hints. Whether it was a bare movement of the eyebrow or a brief shifting of weight. Vincent wasn't agreeing with Dr. Conolly's reaction.

"Yes." The man answered.

"Amazing. Simply amazing. They're reporting no known survivor's. It's a dead man's land. Overrun by species of monsters we've never seen before. Strong, powerful beasts. They don't know what to do with themselves. Shinra doesn't know whether or not trying to reclaim the base is even worth it."

"They won't." Vincent murmured. "They're more interested in Wutai."

"Yeah, I know." Dr. Conolly muttered though her excitement never dwindled. She turned on them suddenly, "Ever since they shot down that little meteor the Lifestream readings have been going up. This is the highest level they've been at in over four hundred years! We've got pockets of Mako springing up everywhere. Wutai has some of the highest readings. I'd like to go over there but they're remaining stubborn about it."

"Can you blame them?" Nanaki spoke.

"No. I guess I can't. I mean, it really doesn't matter. We have plenty of it right here at Mt. Nibel. The Mako is highly concentrated here as well, at least compared to the readings I'm getting from other places. We've also got a large fountain of it over at Mideel, in fact there's where the highest volume of Mako is. At least so far. It keeps rising."

Nanaki was more than a little disturbed at the fact she seemed overly excited about this, lacking the caution that he felt she should be feeling. He stepped forward. "Dr. Conolly, the Lifestream is rising because of the Jenova threat. I can understand your excitement but you must understand that the situation is dangerous. This is a very real threat to the planet itself and if proper precautions aren't made it could destroy life as we know it."

The doctor remained silent after he'd spoken, slowly looking over her shoulder towards the duo before standing with a soft sigh. She reached up and fixed her glasses. "I know. I know. I'm sorry, Nanaki. But you must understand how exciting this is for me. This is the first time in my career, in anybody's career for the past several hundred years, to prove that the _Spiritus Profusum_, er.. excuse me Nanaki, _Lifestream_ still exists. Isn't that what you yourself have been trying to prove?"

Nanaki dipped his head. "It is. But not at this cost."

"We haven't paid anything yet, Nanaki. If we can learn to use this to our advantage, before things get out of control-"

"They're already out of control." Vincent's somber, deep voice interrupted.

"I disagree." Dr. Conolly boldly said, looking at Vincent squarely over the rims of her eyeglasses. "Five hundred years ago we may have been in trouble. But we've come a long way. Whatever this new threat is, I don't think it will be too hard to overcome with the technology we have today. Especially if we learn to take advantage of the situation-"

"You mean the Lifestream." Vincent said bluntly. His red eyes narrowed and for the first time Dr. Conolly shifted with something else other than excitement. He turned without another word and left the room silently. The lack of footsteps and his smooth walk made it seem that by all appearances he had _glided_ out of the room. It was practically supernatural.

Dr. Conolly frowned and looked at Nanaki questioningly. "I didn't mean it like that-"

The large red cat sighed, for a moment feeling his age upon him. He looked up at her solemnly. "Five hundred years ago the planet's life and everything that lived on it was nearly sacrificed for the sake of science, Doctor Conolly. It would be a shame if _I_ had to see history repeat itself." He hesitated here as if he was going to say something else, but shook his head instead. Nanaki's large paws padded across the carpeted floor as he left the room, leaving Dr. Conolly to the echo of his words.

He caught up with Vincent in the main foyer of the mansion. "Vincent."

"We should go."

Nanaki hesitated, opening his mouth before closing it and choosing instead to say, "Alright. I'll get Saitek. Have we located Squ-Leon yet?"

Vincent dipped his head briefly. "A small village named Kyosa. It shouldn't take any longer than a few hours by helicopter to get there."

"Alright. I'll go-"

"No need!" A chipper voice shouted from the top of the large, banistered staircase. "I'm already here!" Saitek, in all of his red, flame-tipped glory bounded down the stairs to come to a stop in front of Vincent and Nanaki. He was panting a little, his ear twitching constantly from the stitches Johnny had recently placed. "We gonna go get Leon?" He asked, looking hopeful. When his father nodded Saitek gave a whoop of joy and turned, bolting out of the open front door of the mansion.

Nanaki shook his head and followed Vincent outside.

…**_..............:`' ~ Author's Notes ~'`:................ _**

_Ha-ha! Thought you'd never see me again, eh? I rise from the depths of the real world to bring you this newest installment of Legacy. I'm sorry I sort of jipped you guys on length. I wanted to see what half of what I normally do would look like. What do you think? Should I say nay and stick to the longer chapters? But I brought a present! Lots of Cloud and Squall! :D  
_

_If anyone spots any sort of plot loopholes or anything that doesn't make sense let me know! I checked and rechecked so I hope I didn't miss anything, but knowing me I probably overlooked something anyways. I also apologize if the writing is a little.... off, I'm having a writing-identity-crisis and I'm caught between two different methods I'm struggling with. If you have no idea what I'm talking about then all the better!_

_**To Reviewers :: **_If I have not responded to your review I'm sorry! My email is full with all sorts of story updates and publishings and reviews and alerts and such and I haven't been brave enough to sift through them (I'm so behind on my reading it's not even funny D:). I will however be paying close attention after this chapter, so **please review! **_Let me know what you think of the story and where you think it will be headed!_ I'm eager to see what everyone thinks! ^_^

ALSO, I've noticed that traffic stats die down after the first few chapters. I was just wondering if there was something I could do to fix that? Is there a part of the story that deters people away? :o

_I'm going to be excited to get the next two or three chapters out of the way. A lot of stuff is gonna go down and I think everyone will be surprised to see what's going to happen. Or at least excited, I know I am! _

_This chapter wasn't beta'd, so any mistakes are my own. :( Is anyone interested in volunteering for future chapters? :D_

_ALSO, anyone like **Bleach? **Oh ho! If you do and you know a lot about it and are up to date with everything **and** would like to help me out, I need a co-conspirator! I have a really nifty idea cooking up for an awesome story for Bleach. It will be starring and centering mainly on Ichigo and I plan on making his hollow a big part of the story as well. It will be an adventure/general/suspense sort of deal. I won't be able to even get started on it until I get things down for a solid direction, __ so I am definitely looking for someone to help me hash out details.__. So if you're interested check out my profile to see how to get ahold of me via AIM. Or note me here on , OR, email me at strayvalkyrie (no spammers! D'uh) OR I have a livejournal account listed on my profile as well._

_**Fun Fact ::** I changed chapter titles into the title of the song lyrics displayed in the beginning of each chapter. I'll probably be changing them again into something a bit better and more creative later. :)_

_P.S. If you can't write a review it may be because I originally had an Author's Note in here and you may have reviewed that. I'd much appreciate still getting word from you though, just send me a note instead! ^_^  
_


	12. The Sickness

_**.:`'~ Legacy ~'`:.**_

_-=-=-=-=-=-_

Looking at my own reflection  
When suddenly it changes  
Violently it changes

_-=-=-=-=-=-_

**Chapter Eleven**

No. No, no, no, no, **NO!!**

"Squall, you've got to kill her!"

There was no answer.

Cloud snarled. He was furious! He couldn't do anything! Trapped in a world that existed in someone's head without a way out. He didn't even know where First Tsurugi was! The weapon had been in his hand when he'd been in that nightmare, but it was nowhere in sight now. And even if he did have it what the hell would he try to hit with it? There were no walls to break, no doors to bash down and no enemies to attack. He was a prisoner in a world without limitations and he'd never felt so damned _helpless_!

He couldn't see what was happening but he could hear it, he could _feel _it. It permeated his entire being, making his body quiver with fear and anger and -

_notagainpleasenotagainshe's**dead**_

It was getting harder for him to hear what was going on and the atmosphere around him was growing thick, dulling his senses. Cloud grunted and fell to a knee, caught unprepared for the sudden heavy weight that descended upon his body. He struggled against it. Ever since they'd arrived to wherever they'd gone, the Lifestream, -_what was it doing here? Why couldn't he feel it?- _Cloud had felt a strange pressure building against him. It was as if it had been trying to smother him; him and everything else in this bleak, empty landscape. And now that Squall was screaming it was furiously taking over everything in hues of vicious purple.

Cloud gasped for air as his limbs trembled beneath the weight pushing him down. It was painful, he could feel his entire body straining against it. In a way it was kind of strange; nostalgic in a bad way; after all when was the last time he'd ever had to _struggle _against something? His limbs were aching with a fierce, stinging pain. It was a strange, almost phantom like. He wasn't even sure if it was his own, not that he had to worry about it too much. A sharp throbbing sensation shot through his head and Cloud grimaced as it raked through his mind. Something warm trickled down his neck and chin and he quickly wiped it away without thinking, expecting to find blood but surprised to find that his glove came back clean. It was then he realized that this pain he felt, this heavy pressure, was an illusion. It wasn't his. It was Squall's.

"Squall!" He shouted again, moments before everything around him went dark, as if someone had simply turned off the light.

**.:`'~ Legacy ~'`:. **

Squall awoke to the warmth of the sun on his face and a bright light glowing through his darkened eyelids. He shifted slightly as he became aware of his body, warm beneath a thick comforter. He didn't want to wake up. The day was obviously beautiful and he felt so comfortable, so relaxed. When was the last time he'd slept like this? His entire being just felt so _rested_. The bed he lay on (he was pretty sure it was a bed) was soft and inviting. There was a soft, fresh breeze that told him a window was open and the faint call of a bird chirping completed the picture.

Turning onto his side, he dragged the thick blanket up over his head and buried his face against his pillow, curling his legs up. Taking another deep breath he was fully prepared to just sleep the day away when he heard a soft voice humming in the distance. He smiled immediately, comfortable with the knowledge that with the blanket to cover him no one would see. It was just a small crook of his lips anyways. The humming drew closer and he heard a door opening, soft footsteps padding closer to the where he lay. He pretended to be asleep.

"Squall Leonheart, I know you're awake~" The voice sung to him and his smile immediately turned to a scowl.

Something poked him through the comforter.

"Wakey wakey~"

"Nng." He garbled, clenching his fists around the blanket and pulling it tighter against him. He ignored the soft laughter and the accompanying poke, a little harder this time.

"You can't sleep in bed all day, we have work to do!"

Work? Couldn't he have just a single day off? He was always working. He never asked for off days. Maybe just this once, though. It couldn't hurt. Who else deserved a day off more than he did? He steadfastly refused to move and continued the charade.

A sigh was his answer and before he could react hands had grabbed his blanket and ripped it right off of him. Squall snarled like an angry dog at the perpetrator and grabbed his pillow, jamming his head beneath it and curling into a ball. The voice giggled and poked his leg. He grumbled.

"Come on, rise and shine. It's a beautiful day!"

"Not anymore." He growled back quietly, peeking out from beneath the pillow to see the edges of a familiar blue coat just beyond his vision. It moved closer to him, blocking out the golden light that came in through the open window. He let her remove the pillow and squinted up at her, adjusting to the light.

Rinoa smiled down at him. The light behind her surrounded her with a golden halo of light, dust glittering in the air as it floated through the room.

_Beautiful._

"What was that?" She asked.

"Nothing." He answered when he found his breath. Slowly he sat up, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed... his legs... his leg. He paused suddenly and frowned, looking down at his thigh. Hadn't there been... something...

_hot, putrid breath on his face, a stabbing pain in his leg_

"What's wrong?" Rinoa asked him.

Squall shook his head. "Nothing."

"Come on!" She grabbed his hand and hauled him to his feet. Squall stumbled a moment before catching his balance. When had she gotten so strong? Oh well, more importantly, where were his clothes? He was dressed in a pair of loose shorts. That was a little odd he thought because he didn't like wearing shorts. Exposed skin always made him feel so... well, exposed.

"Your clothes are cleaning," Rinoa said, as if she'd read his mind. "They should be done here soon. Why don't you come eat breakfast first?"

It was then he noticed his stomach growling and he could smell eggs and bacon in the air. He was hungry, he realized. "Alright."

Rinoa rubbed his hand for a moment before patting it and letting go. She turned and lead the way out as Squall followed. Rinoa began to hum again as they walked down the hall towards the kitchen. The kitchen of a house that wasn't theirs, he remembered that now. It didn't really matter though, where else were they expected to stay? Especially at a time like this.

"How long have I been sleeping?" He asked as he approached the table, pulling out a chair where a plate was laid out. Fresh scrambled eggs and a few slices of bacon filled it, and there was a glass of milk set out as well. He sat down and took a fork, eager to get the gnawing ache in his stomach to leave him alone. The food smelled delicious and tasted the same, although he did sprinkle some salt and pepper on the food for a little bit of an added zest.

"Not _too_ long," She said, sitting next to him. "Twelve hours or so." She smiled as she watched him.

Squall paused in his meal, "Sorry." He wasn't sure what for.

"It's alright. You needed some time to recover. How do you feel?"

He took a moment to consider, running a mental check-up through his entire body. For some reason he felt like he should be feeling something. An ache or a pain. Especially in his leg, and a part of him thought his head or chest too but... nothing. It was silly. "Fine." He finally said, looking at her, "Perfect, actually." He felt refreshed. Renewed and ready for anything.

"Great!" She clapped her hands together. "Okay! So, I was thinking after you're done eating we'll take a trip. But first I have to ask you something _very_ important, okay?"

He nodded.

"Do you remember in the Northern Crater, at that base place, when you were fighting the great big monster?"

Squall nodded again. How could he ever forget?

Rinoa seemed excited by this, scooting closer to him. "Great! Okay, now. In that fight you managed to summon something. Do you remember? The cute guy with blonde hair?"

He felt a stirring of jealousy in his heart but pushed it aside. It was petty. This was much more important. "Yeah. Cloud."

Rinoa squealed, clapping her hands together excitedly again. "_Great!_ Is that his name? Can you bring him out again? I wanna see him."

Squall hesitated, tilting his head to the side. "Why?" He asked, mildly suspicious.

Rinoa giggled. "I wanna talk to him. I think he's got something I need."

Squall looked at her evenly, "That's it?"

She nodded again, suddenly crooking an eyebrow and batting her eyelashes. "Aww, why, is Squally _jealous_?"

He huffed and returned to his meal. "No."

"That settles it then. After you're done eating, we'll go and -"

"I can't."

The room grew a little darker. "Eh? Whattya meant ya can't?"

"It won't work anymore. The materia I used."

"Materia...? Wait." Rinoa's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"

"I mean it's dead. It won't work again. I tried it and it did nothing. Vincent and Nanaki..." His voice trailed as a strange flag of alarm rose in his head. Should he really be telling her this?

"Squall~" Her voice chimed in his head, clearer than any of his own thoughts.

"Said it might be because the Lifestream was gone." He finished, feeling a little strange for hesitating.

"Huh. Really. But the Lifestream isn't gone, remember?"

Oh, that's right. Squall frowned, setting his fork down and sitting back in his chair. He folded his arms over his bare chest, a thrill of excitement running through him at the new strength he felt in such a small act. All that training must be paying off. "Maybe it just takes time." He guessed.

Rinoa was looking at him with a seriously thoughtful expression, her eyebrows drawn low and her lips set in practically a pout.

"What?" He asked.

"Well.. I was just thinking, it just sort of occurred to me. You summoned him, right?"

"Yeah. With the materia. I figured it must be used like Draw points, so I drew and cast it. It didn't work again afterwards, though."

"Did it ever occur to you that because he's a summon, he won't be in the materia anymore?"

"What do you mean?" Squall asked, feeling the beginnings of a realization dawn on him.

"Well, in your old world, when you drew out a summon you could junction it, right? What if you mistakenly, unknowingly, junctioned him?"

"But I didn't..." Squall began, recalling the memory vividly. How could ever forget it? It had been extremely painful but he remembered taking extra care to simply not _draw_ it, but _use_ it. A draw and cast. Although, Rinoa had a point. What if he'd somehow, accidentally and without knowing it, junctioned Cloud?

That would explain the -

The what?

Squall frowned, searching for the memory. The... something. What was it? What had he forgotten?

"You should try it anyways." Rinoa said, "Summoning him that is. Just to be sure, right? It couldn't hurt."

Oh, but it could hurt. Squall knew this all too well. But, who was he to deny her? She was everything. His world, his star and sun, his universe. He looked at her, feeling a warmth spread through him. "It's worth a shot."

She smiled at him, reaching across the table and patting him on the head as if he were a puppy. "Good boy! Now, I think your clothes are done. Let's get you dressed. Go on and I'll bring them to you."

Squall stood obediently and began to head out of the kitchen when her voice stopped him. "Wait."

He turned, lifted an eyebrow in question. Rinoa was looking at him as if she was just realizing something.

"What was that name you said?"

"Cloud."

"Cloud..." She suspected something, that much was evident in her voice. Of what, he wasn't sure. Not that it mattered to him, anyways. "Cloud..." She said again, tapping her chin. "Interesting. Do you know his last name?"

Searching through his memories of the conversation he'd had with Saitek at the mansion in Nibelheim, Squall shook his head.

Rinoa bit her thumb gently in thought. "I wonder... That's kind of an odd name, don't you think?"

Squall shrugged. He really couldn't care less. In fact, he was more concerned with the fact she seemed so interested in the guy.

Rinoa waved her hands dismissively suddenly, "Sorry, go ahead! I'll be there in a second!"

Squall headed out of the kitchen, walking down the hallway back to the bedroom. He paused along the way next to a door, peering into the darkened bathroom. On impulse he stepped in, flicking the light on. He turned towards the mirror on his right, his reflection looked back at him. Reaching up he lightly scratched at the scar that divided his face, peering closer when something caught his attention. When he looked closely enough... his eyes. They were... _purple_? Not entirely. But the neutral hue of his iris were flecked with it, and the edges of his pupils were rimmed in green.

"Squall, here are your clothes." Rinoa stood in the doorway, her arms full of black leather and belts. She huffed, "I don't know why you wear so many belts."

Squall had to refrain from rolling his eyes. "I only wear two."

"Yeah, around your _waist_, but there's like three more around your leg."

"Something's wrong with my eyes," Squall murmured, continuing to stare into the mirror. Rinoa quirked an eyebrow and walked in closer, her doe eyes narrowing as she studied him.

"Whatcha mean?"

"They're purple."

"They've always been that way, Squall."

He was about to say something but remained silent, trying to remember the last time he'd looked closely at his eyes. He turned away from the mirror, taking his clothes from her. "You're right."

Rinoa smiled and left, leaving Squall to change. He emerged from the bathroom a few minutes later in full leather glory, the soft clink of his belts signifying his approach to the main living room where Rinoa waited. Squall stood in the entrance for a moment, his gray_purple_ eyes observing the room briefly. He didn't remember having been in here yet. It didn't look much different than the rest of the house, plain and contemporary with a bit of a lavish oriental flair. On one side of the living room the wall was decorated with a large tiger tapestry and there were photos lined up on the wall connecting to it. Each photo had a smiling face and a pleasant look. Portraits. A family. Squall didn't recognize any of them, although it brought back a flash of a memory. A room much bluer than this, with photographs everywhere. Mostly of landscapes, but he recalled seeing something more. A large sword, impossibly broad. Dust.

"Come along~" Rinoa sung, and Squall escaped from his thoughts to follow her outside of the house and into the bright day outside, pausing only to grab the gunblade without really thinking about it. He'd need it, he was certain. The sun was high but slowly dipping and there were only the faintest of clouds drifting through the blue expanse. A gentle, cool breeze brushed by. It was very relaxing and Squall realized he'd never felt better.

A hand brushed his arm gently, and with that feather soft touch sparks traveled through his body. He turned and looked at Rinoa, who looked at him with a flash of purple eyes. "Rinoa-"

"Hm?"

"Nothing." He said, feeling his lips tug upwards in a rare, faint smile.

Rinoa grinned at him, the expression seemed strange for her but he couldn't place why. "Come along," She said again, walking ahead of him and clasping her hands behind her back. She paused and looked over her shoulder, "A knight should always follow his princess, right Squall?"

He nodded, a quick dip of his head and followed her. They walked for about a quarter of an hour through an empty village. If he really cared to notice he'd find the darkened spots concerning, they looked a lot like old blood. Congealed and dry as though it'd been there for days. Some of the other houses were in horrible condition, and he vaguely wondered if the village had a lazy repairman. It certainly needed one. In fact, it seemed like nearly all the houses and buildings _except_ for the one they'd walked out of had been damaged horribly. What a lousy village, he mused. No wonder they were all gone-

_deadevolvedeatenmurderedsacrificed-_

"Here we are." Rinoa said, stopping abruptly. Squall stopped immediately without thinking about it. He didn't want to bump into her, after all. Although, he wondered if he'd feel those sparks again... those wonderful, tickling surges of energy...

"Squaaaalll~" Her voice called to him again, stirring him from his thoughts. She was giggling at him and he again had to stop himself from rolling his eyes. Instead, he focused on the strange creature in front of her. It looked like a mutated baby chocobo, with a beak three times as long and lined with backward curving, serrated teeth. It still had a few feathers but they were few and in between, poking out from beneath overlaying scales that scratched over each other every time it moved. Instead of a soft, feathery tail it had a long serpentine one with a hooked stinger at the end of it. Other than that, though, it was definitely a baby chocobo.

Rinoa knelt down next to it, cooing as she scratched it's head. It leaned into her touch and growled appreciatively, though Squall thought it sounded worse than Selphie's singing. He grimaced.

"Oh? Is that so?" Rinoa murmured and Squall focused on her. He knew without wondering why that she was listening to it tell her something, and also knew that whatever it was it was very important. The situation was no longer calm and relaxed, he could feel the tension rising in the air. Even though Rinoa seemed quite pleased by the news, he wasn't. After all, what were _they_ doing here?

Did he just understand a baby chocobo?

Damn it.

Rinoa looked at him over her shoulder, her purple eyes flashing as her pupils narrowed into feline slivers. "Your friends have finally arrived," She said, sighing as she stood. "I suppose it's okay. Probably on time, actually. Besides, we could use this to out advantage. I think it's time to see what you can do, Knight."

Squall, filled with a sense of purpose, straightened without hesitation. He felt a powerful shudder of excitement run through him and knew without question that his eyes mirrored her own.

Rinoa stood and walked over until their bodies were close enough to touch. She was purring in her throat and reached up with a hand to gently cradle his jaw, running her fingertips down his neck as she coo'd in a soft, lovely voice that he simply could not deny. He felt his knees grow weak as those wonderful sparks of energy ran through him again, setting his nerves on fire and his senses into overdrive.

"How shall we deal with them, Knight?"

"I'll get rid of them for you," He murmured, his eyes locked with hers glowing purple ones. He felt himself drowning in them.

"How will you do that?" She asked with a whisper.

"I'll kill them."

"_Good boy... _and I know just how you'll do it._"_

**.:`'~ Legacy ~'`:. **

"We're here." Vincent's deep voice rumbled over the roar of the helicopter's engines and blades.

Nanaki sat up to look out of the window, standing on his rear legs to see better. His right ear turned as Saitek hopped up next to him.

"Aww man I can't see!" The cub whined, quickly changing his position to stand on the seat next to Nanaki. Now the cub could look out of the small viewing window when he popped up on his back legs. "Wow, lookit that! That's nothing like the Canyon or the Northern Crater!" It wasn't that Saitek hadn't seen forests before, but this forest was _different_. The trees had different shapes and colors and if he squinted he could make out birds and various game animals that were different than anything he'd seen before. It all looked so... so... _awesome!_

"Saitek, be careful you don't fall-" His father started, just as an unexpected wind of turbulence caused the helicopter to shudder violently. The cub, not expecting the disruption, fell to the floor with a heavy thud.

"Oof! ….Ooowww, my taaaail-uh!" He whined pitifully.

Nanaki huffed and looked over. "You still have much to learn, don't you? Be careful."

Saitek sat up with a shake of his head, his thickening mane and the feathers decorating his untattered ear flicking side to side noisily. "Yeah yeah yeah. Common mistake! It could happen to anyone." He boasted with a grin full of sharp teeth.

Nanaki turned his head away before rolling his eyes. He continued to survey the ground hundreds of feet beneath them. "There's the village."

Kyosa, Nanaki knew, was a small village in the southern portion of Wutai. It wasn't really known for much of anything. Unlike Wutai's central cities and upper half of the continent, the southern half was more of a forgotten territory for tourists and businesses. It was here that Wutai's people and their traditions held the strongest. Nanaki didn't expect to see much of anything, but he couldn't help but notice a small tremor of wariness run through his body as he surveyed the seemingly lifeless landscape.

"It's quiet." He murmured.

"Well, d'uh. Even _you_ can't hear them from up here Dad."

Nanaki couldn't resist swatting at his cub with his tail.

"Ow! Watch the flame, watch the flame!"

Saitek quickly hopped away, dashing into the available passenger seat next to the pilot. Vincent didn't seem to take notice. The man was looking over the scenery beneath them with a studious expression and Saitek sort of got the hint that something was up. Call it cat-sense. "Right Vincent?" He said in an effort to break the darkening silence that surrounded the man.

"Nanaki is right. It's quiet."

Saitek's ears dropped.

Nanaki spoke up behind him, nearly causing the cub to jump out of his fur. But thankfully, his wonderful, superb senses kept him from looking like he was surprised. He turned his head and grinned at his dad.

"Are we going to land near the village?" The elder Lienliek asked.

Vincent nodded affirmatively, "Half a mile or so outside of it..." He said, his voice lowering suddenly.

"What is it?" Nanaki asked.

"The Lifestream." Vincent replied, the surprise in his voice actually noticeable.

Nanaki's eyes widened, "The Lifestream? What...?" He quickly turned back to the other window where he'd get a better view. This time the landscape had changed a little. The forest they'd been flying over had given way to a small river of green water – no. Not water. Nanaki could feel the energy of life vibrating throughout his entire body. His eyes widened. "It really is... Saitek! Come look!"

"I see it!" The cub called from the cabin. "Is that.. wow, what _is_ that?! Holy crap! It... I feel like... Oh wow!"

Nanaki couldn't help but to smile. The Lifestream was here... it was _here_. And not just as a pocket of Mako or random spring. But a flowing river that stretched out into the distance. Wisps of green tendrils floated off of it's surface like a mist and he could see the land around it had erupted into a bright, beautiful green expanse of color.

"Vincent!" He called, "Land us here!"

Vincent didn't give a verbal acknowledgement, but the helicopter began to descend. The closer they got to the river the more Nanaki felt like his old self again, his younger, more energetic self. He could feel the energy humming through his bones. It filled with a sense of glee he hadn't felt in decades. He felt like a cub again.

By the time the helicopter had landed, Saitek had moved to his side and was bouncing from paw to paw. Both of their tails lashed in excited unison and the moment Vincent opened the doors the two Lienliek's had bolted from the door. Saitek laughed as he dashed past his father, caught by surprise when Nanaki suddenly caught up to him. He swerved to the side to try and interrupt the older cat's speed only to watch with amazement as his father simply leaped over him.

It had become a race. The air was filled with the smell of flowers and the sparkling wisps that rose from the river a few yards away. There was so much _life _in the air that it was nearly intoxicating. Both of the large cats were bounding as though they hadn't a care in the world. Saitek wasn't sure why he felt so... so _liberated_ but he did. It was the best feeling he'd ever had in his entire life! What was it? Why was it?! He wanted more of it!

He ran over his dad in the excitement, not noticing how the older Lienliek had come to a stop next to the river. "Oof!"

Nanaki grunted, stumbling forward a few steps until his front paws were at the very edge of the river. Despite the liquid mass of the river it didn't seem to soak into the ground at the edges, rather it lifted upwards into those spiderweb like tendrils. Tendrils that weaved around his paws and through the air, rising past his face where he took in a deep breath and released it. With that breath it felt like everything that was bad and evil was gone from the world, taking every fear and concern of his with it. That everything would be okay.

His ear turned towards Saitek as he caught wind of the cub's loud purr rumbling out of his chest. Nanaki pulled his muzzle back into a pleasant smile, tilting his head to look at his son through the corners of his eyes. This was the first time his cub had ever been so near to the Lifestream in his entire life. While the thought severely depressed the Lienliek, he felt pride and happiness surge throughout his being at the sight of the younger cat seeming so relaxed, content in the presence of the very planets life blood.

"This is the Lifestream, Saitek." Nanaki rumbled appreciatively. Saitek lowered down to his belly next to the river, rolling onto his side as his burning tail flopped playfully on the ground. He felt a speech coming on.

Nanaki didn't hear Vincent, but his ear swiveled towards the ex-Turk as he approached them slowly. He continued to speak to his son, his voice dropping to a low murmur, "I always feared you would not have the chance to see it."

Saitek rolled his head and body until he was on his back, all four paws dangling in the air loosely. "What is it Dad? I mean.. I know what it _is_ but I've never felt so... so...." The cub, at a loss for words, was only able to increase the volume of his purring and wriggle around on the riverbank's edge. His eyes closed and he said, "I can almost hear voices."

Nanaki's smile widened at this. "That is a good thing. Our kind, we are close to the Lifestream. Closer than most other living creatures in this world." He began to say, pleased that he was able to teach his son even at a time like this, "We're an ancient species, Saitek. It is said we existed alongside the Ancients, the Cetra. We know how to listen with more than our ears. We listen with our hearts and our spirits. And if we listen closely enough, we are able to hear the Lifestream itself. The voices you hear are the memories of all those who have returned to the planet, spoken to us from the Cetra that now exist within the Lifestream itself." (1)

He looked down at his son again, who to his surprise was paying avid attention to him. The cub was now laying on his stomach, there were tufts of grass, leaves and flower caught in his coat and mane. The cub's eyes were wide and open, and Nanaki could see within them the promise of a future. A future that may not be his, but a future that his children and his children's children would carry on their backs. The thought that they would have to do so without his guidance or that of the Lifestream was heavy enough to dampen his lightened spirits and his smile died slowly.

"Dad?" Saitek asked, his head lowering with concern at his father's sudden change.

Nanaki shook his head, resting a paw between his son's ears.

"OW!"

He quickly jerked his paw off, "What?!"

"My eeeeaaaarrrr!" Saitek wailed, crossing his paws over his head as he whined loudly. The stitches in his tattered ear were still quite sensitive and the entire thing was sore, and his father had unintentionally pulled on them.

Nanaki gave his cub an apologetic look. "Sorry."

Saitek continued to howl, reminding Nanaki that his son was still a cub. He sighed and rolled his eyes, inhaling the scent of the flowers around them deeply.

He smelled something else, as well. His ears perked up and he turned his head, sniffing again. He recognized that smell... Blood. Old blood, but blood. Here? It was so out of place that it sent his senses spiraling with alarm. He stood and followed the scent carefully.

When Saitek noticed his yowling wasn't getting him anywhere, and that his dad was ignoring him, he stopped long enough to notice that the older Lienliek had turned away and was walking slowly with his nose in the air. "Dad?"

Nanaki didn't answer him and continued to follow the scent. He noticed Vincent watching him with a guarded expression that he quickly interpreted into curiosity, so he said, "I smell blood."

"Blood?" Vincent asked.

"HA! I knew it! You _are_ a vampire!"

The ex-Turk ignored the cub, following Nanaki as he slowly pinpointed the source. It was strangely enough only a few yards away and when he stopped he was standing before a few large gray boulders that lined up off the riverbank. Nanaki lowered his head, searching the dark green and brown surface of the ground.

Vincent swept past him, kneeling down next to the rock. He touched it's surface, scratching at a few of the darker spots before pulling his hand away and studying his fingertips. Bringing his fingers to his nose he sniffed at them curiously. "This is it." He murmured, looking at Nanaki.

Nanaki heard the unspoken question and suddenly turned to his son. "Saitek."

"Yeah Dad?" The cub bounded over.

"What do you smell?"

Saitek gave him a funny look. "Blood, obviously."

"Focus and smell again. What do you smell?"

Unsure of what his father was getting at, Saitek sighed, "Do I havta?" The thought of smelling blood was just gross. He scrunched his nose but lowered his head to Vincent's head, taking in a deep whiff -

"It's Leon!" The cub howled, his eyes widening. "It's his blood! He's hurt!"

"Calm down Saitek. This is old. It may have been from when he was taken here – "

"It's not _that_ old!! Dad! Vincent! We gotta find him!"

A sudden voice interrupted them, "Find who?"

All three looked up to see Squall Leonheart standing in front of them.

Silence became mandatory, it cut through the air too quickly to let any of them speak. Surprise showed on Nanaki's face, his eyes widening as he wondered of all things how Squall had managed to approach them so quietly. Vincent, of course, held no true expression, but his deep crimson eyes were narrowed and he was studying Squall critically, as if he were a target.

Saitek on the other hand was just as surprised as his father, but there was an energy running through his body was bound to explode. When his little body couldn't take it anymore and the silence was changing into something more suspicious and deadly he ignored it, bolting forwards without warning as he howled with delight, "_Leon!!"_

Nanaki started forward as if to stop his son, but stopped himself instead. He didn't know why he felt so strangely just now. His fur was bristling with the warning of danger in the air but he couldn't place it. The only thing out of place was Squall himself, but Squall wasn't a danger. Not to Saitek.... But why did he _feel_ like something was different, changed?

He studied Squall, knowing Vincent was doing the same. Vincent's vision was better, though. So just as Nanaki found out what was wrong Vincent was already shouting out, "_Saitek! Stop!"_

But it was too late. The cub was close enough now that even though Saitek had finally spotted the strange purple, feline eyes that Leon now sported he couldn't back away. Besides, it didn't matter, because it was _Leon_ and he was _alive_! The sharpness of Vincent's deep voice startled him enough to make him hesitate and he promptly stumbled over his large paws, falling into a large, loud tumble as he rolled along the ground, the world spinning around him. He hit something sturdy that barely gave way beneath the weight of his impact, even though his breath was knocked out of him. "Oof!"

"Ugh." Saitek coughed and squinted to see his father's worried, angry expression in the distance. Vincent, like the vampire ghost he was, haunted his father by standing directly next to him. Cerberus was in his hand and it was aiming towards Leon.

And Leon...

Saitek looked up to see that the sturdy wall he'd hit was actually Leon's legs, who was looking at Vincent with a strange smirk on his lips. When he suddenly looked down at Saitek, the cub gasped. "Leon, your eyes-" He started, only to yelp when Leon suddenly reached down and without effort, haul him into the air by the scruff of his neck, his fist curling into his grip. Instinct took over, it was an old vague instinct that reminded him of milk and warmth, but Saitek couldn't resist it. He curled, tucking his tail into his belly as pain shot through his back from the tight grip Leon held on him. "Ow, Ow! Leon! That hurts! Leggo!" He howled, his limbs feeling stiff and unable to struggle.

"Saitek!" Nanaki belted, then snarled as his fur hackled and the flame on his tail burst into a roaring fire. "Squall! Put him _down!" _The large cat snarled, feeling his claws dig into the soft earth at his feet as he braced himself.

Squall held Saitek up at shoulder height. It was uncanny, the ease with which he held the large cub was as if Saitek weighed no more than a rabbit. Squall had a strange grin on his face, at least, strange to anyone who knew him. It was malicious. It was dark. It had intentions.

"Put him down?" Squall said, shaking the cub in his hands. Nanaki's heart was racing, it felt like it would explode in his chest. His cub yelped in pain and all of his instincts screamed at him to save him and it took all of his willpower to stop his body from charging forward. He was afraid that if he did move, that whatever Squall had become would be the death of his cub.

"Vincent," Nanaki whispered fiercely, his voice torn, "His eyes-"

"I know." Vincent said, keeping Cerberus trained on Squall. He could shoot the man, that wouldn't be a problem. He could shoot him without injuring Saitek. The only thing that stopped him was the certainty that a single bullet, or even three, probably wouldn't be enough to stop him from doing something horrible to Saitek. But maybe a shot through the head would be enough to stall him long enough for Nanaki to dart in and rescue his son.

"Leon, what are you doing? Please, pumme down! It_ hurts_ Leon!" The cub yelped with a high-pitched whine when Squall shook him again, using an unnecessarily vicious force this time that had Saitek crying out painfully.

"My name is _Squall_," the mercenary snarled, "_Stop_ calling me **Leon!"**

And then three things happened nearly at once.

With a single, easy flick of his arm Squall threw the cub through the air.

A gunshot thundered in their ears and a spark of fire ignited as the bullet met steel.

The last thing Nanaki heard or saw of his son was Saitek's terrified scream and tumbling form before it disappeared into the Lifestream river.

…_**..............:`' ~ Author's Notes ~'`:................ **_

_**1) **__I sort of made this part up._

_Another somewhat short chapter. Sorry. I just felt like being a devil and ending it there, mwahaha. But hey! I got it up a lot quicker this time, right? So, surprise! Hee._

_I'm still looking for a co-conspirator for Legacy, as well as someone for the Bleach idea I have. This chapter is unedited, so any mistakes are my own. _

_Please review! Tell me what you think, how can I improve! For those who reviewed and sent me notes for the last chapter, thank you! It's fun to see what people think of the story and where they think it's going go go. I was hoping for more, selfishly enough, but hey I'll take what I can get! _

_Next Chapter :: Squall versus Vincent! _


	13. Face Off

_**.:`'~ Legacy ~'`:.**_

_-=-=-=-=-=-_

This is war  
And it's on tonight  
So get up and fight  
Get up and fight  
You had all your life  
To run and hide  
Now step up, now step up  
Let's do this

_-=-=-=-=-=-_

_((Author's Note: First off, many thank yous to the wonderful reviews I've gotten since the last chapter! To all new and returning readers, thank you so much for your encouragement and opinions! I really do love reading them and you guys really made my day! [Makes me wonder if I should leave the chapters on more cliffhangers though. :3 ]_

_And because of you, Legacy has reached over the 100 review mark! This really just amazes me! I'm so glad to see that the story is being so well received and I hope to continue to meet everyone's expectations! This story has a bit to go yet, and I promise that you'll be surprised with the turns and twists to come!_

_I wanted to do an Omake or something nice for hitting 100 reviews, but I haven't been able to think of anything. :( But I hope this extremely humble, heartfelt thank you makes up for it!_

_P.S. I enjoy reading stories on half page, you might enjoy them that way as well! You can generally alter this by using the options on the top left of the text page.))_

**Chapter Twelve**

"Saitek!" Nanaki shouted, running forward towards the green riverbank. His single eye wide and searching for anything, anything at all through the glowing green river that would show him where to look. He couldn't see so much as a shadow. It felt like his heart was in his throat, he felt sick to his stomach. Panic began to spread through him. His cub, his _son_! "Where are you?! _Saitek!"_

Behind him he could vaguely pick up the sound of battle. Gunshots and steel, movement on the ground as bodies darted back and forth. It did nothing to distract him. The only thing in his mind was that his son was in this river, somewhere. And who knows... who knows...!

"Saitek!" Nanaki snarled, his voice trembling as he turned and darted along the riverbank. The Lifestream carried no natural flow. It didn't go to the left or the right, north or south. It flowed in every direction at once, so to even begin to attempt to figure out where his son might have gone was hopeless. Nanaki hesitated to dive in after him. If he got lost, he would never find his son, nor his way back. This would doom them both.

He felt so, so, helpless!

Vincent was surprised. He didn't expect Squall to be able to move so quickly, but then again, he reminded himself, this wasn't entirely Squall he was dealing with – at least, not the mercenary he'd dealt with before. He'd need to keep that in mind as he fought him. He'd prefer not to kill him, but if it came down to it Vincent would do whatever was necessary. He couldn't afford to take chances. Not with the memory of what happened five hundred years ago resurfacing fresh and bold in his mind.

He didn't have much time to reflect on his thoughts, though, before Squall was suddenly in front of him. The man moved _fast_, faster than Vincent anticipated. The gunner took a step back, only for Squall disappear from his sight. A shiver of awareness traveled through his spine and Vincent quickly turned, bringing up his golden, metal gauntlet just in time to block a powerful strike from behind. Brilliant sparks flew from the force of impact and Squall's eyes narrowed at him from beyond the glinting blade. He stepped back shortly as Vincent shoved the blade away, causing the sound of grating metal to screech in their ears.

The ex-Turk jumped into the air with little effort but was caught by surprise when Squall looked up and followed. The two fighters clashed in the sky with a blur of gray and red, metal and bullets, sparks and fire. The world around them faded out of existence, leaving just the two of them locked in a maelstrom of battle. Vincent blocked with his metal gauntlet and Squall deflected bullets with his sword. From the start of the battle it seemed clear that the two of them were evenly matched.

But Vincent was holding back.

He was testing the mercenary, taking notes on just how differently he was fighting from what Vincent had seen just days ago. Or rather, the difference in his reflexes from what he'd seen at the Northern Crater. The fight against that giant, bulbous monster had gone well enough. Vincent had seen that Squall was a very capable fighter, with instincts bred from hard-won battles. The mercenary didn't hesitate and didn't let his compulsions interfere with what he needed to do to win.

But the way he fought now was much more efficient. Squall aimed to kill him – if only Vincent let him. The other's speed was greatly increased, his strength was enough to make the gunblade practically sing as it cut through the air with a sharp metallic hum. Vincent felt the tremors of each strike that he blocked run through his arm, saw the fire that sparked every time metal met metal, leaving deep scratches and dents in both his gauntlet and faintly visible grooves in the sword itself.

The most disturbing thing, however, was not the sudden improvements Squall had obtained so much as his eyes. They were very familiar to what Vincent recalled from five hundred years ago. The boy's pupils were thin slivers of what they used to be-reptilian, cat-like, whichever description best fit. However, unlike what Vincent remembered, they were not the vibrant green that Sephiroth's had been; but purple - a hue of violet so brilliant and intense that it briefly reminded the ex-Turk of the images that Cid once sent him long ago of other galaxies, taken from above the sky on board of one of the pilots cherished ships.

Another powerful strike of the gunblade against his gauntlet shattered his thoughts, and Vincent darted back to obtain some distance between himself and the other fighter. He locked onto Squall with Cerberus and fired three more shots, taking the moment immediately afterward to reload.

Squall avoided the first bullet, deflected the second, and rose higher into the air before the third could reach him. It was a strange battle, the two seemingly even matched fighters portraying their power by the sheer ability to remain in the air longer than gravity would ever permit. Vincent couldn't get far enough away to shoot at the other before Squall was upon him in a whirlwind of steel and leather. His new found speed was his greatest advantage, so far, and Vincent knew that he would need to disable that if he was going end the conflict without killing him.

The gunblade whistled with a shrill cry as it cut down from above and Vincent darted back to let the blade swing harmlessly by in front of him. He used the opening it provided to dart forward, grabbing Squall's arm between his golden metal claws before the mercenary could draw his blade back. Squall snarled, his purple eyes pulsing with shards of green as he let go of his sword with one hand to try and knock Vincent back.

Vincent applied pressure to his grip and heard a satisfactory crack, letting go quickly when Squall yelped and leaping away. He dropped to the ground and looked up, holding his gauntleted hand off to the side, flicking specks of blood off the tips of his claws with a brief, subconscious movement.

Squall fell from the air as well, landing in a crouch and swiftly standing with all the grace of a cat. Blood ran down his arm and the sleeve of his leather jacket was torn, three jagged rips left behind from Vincent's attack. He was grinning, though, obviously enjoying this fight much more than he had any right to.

"That won't stop me." Squall declared suddenly. He was holding the gunblade with one hand, his injured arm hanging at his side loosely.

"What do you think you're doing?" Vincent asked, studying the other's stance and subtle shifts. He was already preparing for the next round of the fight, keeping his senses alert and focused. The ex-Turk wasn't taxed at all from the battle thus far, his breathing calm and controlled.

"Getting rid of you." Squall answered casually, as if the answer was obvious.

"Jenova is controlling you." Vincent decided it was worth a try, although something told him this wasn't going to work. Call it a hunch.

As predicted, Squall threw the comment over his metaphorical shoulder and paid it absolutely no mind. "Does it matter?" He growled at the gunner, lifting the gunblade with one arm. Vincent's stance changed subtly as a result, but Squall didn't attack immediately. Instead, his limp arm began to lift until he gripped the sword tightly with both hands. "I'm still getting rid of you."

Vincent noticed that the arm had stopped bleeding already, which came as a disappointment. Regeneration as well, then, he observed. He had been certain he'd broken it.

It would make things more difficult, but it was an ability Vincent had dealt with before and was nothing but another fact to consider while he fought. Considering the enemies the gunner had gone against in the past, Squall wouldn't be an issue. A challenge, perhaps, but nothing Vincent couldn't handle. Although, he reminded himself, keeping Squall alive would be the best option, if only for information.

Vincent knew that any further attempt to talk sense into Squall was going to fail. Although it was a large part of it, Jenova didn't control by taking over the mind. Her infection was completely biological, taking control on a cellular level. Sephiroth and Cloud had attested to that, had once been living proof. It didn't matter what Squall was thinking in his head, even if he had any semblance of free will. He would do as _she_ bid because it was now only natural for him to do so. Just like the Remnants, he would heed her call.

Cloud...

Did Squall still have the materia? Vincent's eyes slid towards the bank of the Lifestream, where he could see Nanaki continue to search for the missing Saitek. He felt a pang of sympathy in his chest for his friend and the cub, but he couldn't allow himself to become too distracted. He wondered if Squall had been given a chance to test the materia theory that Nanaki had mentioned before Jenova had gotten to him. If he had... Vincent looked back, narrowing his eyes.

Then they _could_ be in trouble.

The thought made him angry, that Squall might now have the power to turn Cloud against them. If it worked that way, he wasn't sure. He didn't even know how Cloud had ended up in that materia to begin with. Nanaki and he had been speculating, but unless they spoke to Cloud himself, they would never know for certain.

Vincent's grip tightened on Cerberus. He didn't have time to let it bother him.

Squall was talking again, after he noticed Vincent's glance towards the river. "He might still be alive," He was saying, "You're welcome to go in after him!" His last words turned into a snarl and he suddenly darted forward. The gunblade was encased in an azure aura that glowed brightly, leaving a blue trail in its wake.

Vincent stepped back and jumped up into the air before Squall reached him. He lowered his arm and took aim with Cerberus again but was cut off as Squall leaped into the air after him – dragging his sword through the ground at his feet and ripping right through the earth.

The ex-Turk wasn't going to question Squall's methods, but he had to admit the resulting explosion of rock and stone took him by surprise.

It was as if all the energy Squall had put into his strike had transferred into the ground, and with nowhere else to go it resulted in an explosion that shot upwards in a near perfect cylinder of destruction directly beneath Vincent's feet. A halo of white energy pulsed out, making trees sway and bend under its power and the grass ripple violently.

Vincent was caught in the unexpected explosion, crossing his arms in front of him as he was assaulted by the torn, ragged pieces of earth. Every piece that whipped by him was thrown by atremendous force, pelting him with each sharp piece of rock that managed to get past his defense. The wind rushed by so quickly that even small pebbles, so harmless on the ground, tore right through his cape and ripped his clothing. The explosion only lasted a few seconds but by the time the rocks and debris fell to the ground he was covered with small wounds and deep lacerations– and he was covered with dirt. It was a startling attack and surprisingly powerful. Not exactly something he was expecting from Squall.

But then again, it also wasn't anything Vincent couldn't take.

When he lowered his arms he saw Squall returning to the ground nearby with all the grace of a bird. His sword was no longer glowing and there was now a noticeable crater in the earth directly below Vincent, pieces of overturned rock and dirt littered across the torn ground. Squall was grinning at him and Vincent thought he heard a soft, mocking chuckle before suddenly Squall darted towards him again, slashing upwards in a vibrant steel uppercut. "Ha!"

Vincent jumped back to avoid the attack but Squall didn't give him a chance to try and counter, much less take a breath. The mercenary was upon him in a series of attacks, swinging his blade with little flair and well-aimed strikes meant to incapacitate or kill. Vincent managed to avoid all of them, using a combination of his gauntlet and his gun to block and deflect the ones he couldn't dodge. Their fight was punctuated by the ringing sound of metal on metal and sparks once again ignited and flew through the air. After a few drawn out seconds of this, Vincent whirled around suddenly, his heavy red cloak sweeping through the air behind him.

Little did anyone know, his cloak served an important purpose other than being an bad fashion statement (as well as providing cover and extra folds); although he could recall that long ago Yuffie never hesitated to voice just how _cool_ looking it was and Saitek believed it to be the epitome of awesome as well as a profound statement that yes, Vincent did indeed drink the blood of the living (that joke was _really_ old, Vincent wondered if the new generations would ever figure that out). But more importantly, it provided a distraction when he needed one – especially in battle. Red was unarguable the single most critical color to the human eye. It carried the strongest reaction, igniting an alarm in the mind of anyone who happened to see it, even if it was just in their peripheral vision.

And in battle, a distraction could mean the difference between winning or losing. Vincent didn't hesitate to use this to his advantage, though a part of him was dismayed to know that those who didn't understand his color of choice would think he just had a flair for being dramatic.

Squall experienced the distraction first hand, as his quarry seemed to just disappear behind the whirling, tattered cloak of crimson. For a brief moment, he couldn't see anything of his adversary. His vision filled with red and wind and he growled, getting ready to cut through the annoying cape when he spotted a flash of pale skin and the dangerous glint of metal from behind it. Squall quickly leaped back, but he wasn't fast enough; three more shots were fired at him. At such a close range, even with his enhanced speed, dodging or deflecting them was more than a little difficult. So, it was with no small amount of pride that he managed to deflect the first one, feeling the corner of his lips quirk in a confident smirk as the bullet struck the metal of his gunblade and ricocheted.

The second two bullets, however, were a different story. Vincent obviously expected the deflection and had adjusted his aim for the second bullets accordingly. There was no way Squall could avoid them and he hissed as one of the bullets slammed into his thigh, the other grazing across his shoulder. Squall quickly jumped away and fell to the ground, landing in a slight crouch. He felt warm liquid gushing down his leg. The bullet had gone deep.

He was granted no reprieve, however, as Vincent fired upon him again without hesitation. Squall quickly rolled to his right, hearing the bullets riddle into the ground just centimeters behind him. He pulled himself into a crouch, bringing up the gunblade to deflect the last of them. Every bullet sent a shudder through the blade and his grip tightened on the handle. His injuries throbbed in pain and he grimaced briefly, peering out over the edge of his weapon to see that Vincent had landed several meters away and was reloading.

This afforded him roughly one and a half seconds of time.

_Finish him, Knight!_

His eyes flashed and he felt a pulse of renewing energy run through his body. It took away the pain in his leg and made his wounded shoulder insignificant. Squall stood and lowered his weapon. Vincent was taking aim again but had yet to fire. Squall grinned and placed his palm to his forehead, closing his eyes.

It was time to end this.

**.:`'~ Legacy ~'`:. **

It seemed that as soon as the lights had gone out they returned. Cloud was thrown off balance by the sudden onset of color, unsure what to make of the hues of purple and green that greeted him instead of the bright white he'd become so accustomed to. It reminded him of the Borealis he'd seen so often above the Northern Crater, lights that had reflected and twisted off of the atmosphere.

Except there was no atmosphere here and as far as he knew there really _shouldn't_ be considering where he was -

What was that?

He felt something slowly crawl up the length of his spine, dragging like a jagged claw to send shivers trembling through his shoulders. Suddenly every one of his senses flared to live and everything screamed at him: _Danger_.

Cloud set his jaw, narrowing his eyes as he looked around him into the swirling vortex of color. It touched him briefly with a gentle caress, like a soft breeze on a spring day. The moment it did, he suddenly felt the ground give out beneath him and he was falling into darkness. The wind whipped his clothing about him and despite having no idea where he was falling, he felt no panic. Instead, Cloud was gripped with a sudden sense of urgency and purpose.

There was an enemy here and a need to protect. He felt it from the core of his body, an incredible sense of determination sweeping through and taking over his thoughts. If there was an enemy beneath him then he would face it without fear. He was confident he would defeat it. He had to, really. Cloud didn't question why he was filled with such a strong ambition, but he knew that whatever enemy awaited him it needed to be destroyed.

Enemy.

_Enemy._

_**Enemy.**_

With a sudden jolt he was thrust into a world of shape and colors. Trees whizzed by him as they drifted out from a whirlwind of green. He could vaguely see how the wind tossed them about violently, causing some to bend at a dangerous angle that threatened to break them at any moment. The tall grass beneath his feet was muddy and when he hit the ground in a slight crouch he felt his boots sink into the dirt, his arrival heralded by a vortex of blue energy that shot out from where he'd landed.

Cloud straightened slowly, every fighting instinct set on fire as he set his eyes on his target. With one hand he reached towards the sky and even though he didn't see the tumbling glint of light on deadly silver, he knew where it to catch it. First Tsurugi fell securely into his grip after it completed another swirling flip, and the hilt felt natural in his hand. Cloud tightened his fist as he slowly lowered the sword and stared over its shining steel towards the enemy he'd come to defeat.

All he saw before him was the deep, velvet color of red. The color of blood.

He felt his eyes burning as he stared at it, narrowing his gaze and raising First Tsurugi before him in an almost horizontal position. Cloud shifted his left foot back along the ground, feeling the traction of the thick mud beneath the sole. He could hear the sound of a heartbeat in the distance, could smell the scent of something crisp and cold that tingled through his face. Every one of his senses was on fire, heightened to such an extreme that he could see everything move with a visual echo behind it when he shifted the sword a bare millimeter and prepared to attack.

Time stopped. Everything became still and silent. The wind that had been ripping at him since his arrival died down with its last breath and he slowly drew in one of his own.

And then he was flying. The forest around him became nothing but a blur of gray and green, every footfall kicked up dirt behind him and he brought First Tsurugi to his side, pulling his arms forward and pushing all of his strength into swinging the large, wide blade with a devastating first attack.

The red moved. It was fast, but he was able to keep up. It dodged to the side and he followed, allowing the momentum of his first swing to carry him through a perfect three hundred and sixty degree spin until he came back around. It took only a minor adjustment on the hilt to force the sword to swing at his target from a lower angle, feeling the tip of the blade drag through earth before it slashed upwards with a trail of burning azure.

The _enemy_ moved again, swiftly jumping back out of his reach. Cloud gave it no relief and charged forwards just as quickly as it moved, heaving the great blade of his weapon over his head as he leaped into the air. An aura of blue energy once more weaved around First Tsurugi, radiating from where he gripped the hilt. He felt it cover him and although everything around him became teal from the blanket of light, he could still see that vibrant _red_ of the _enemy_.

With a determined snarl he slammed the sword down as he fell, feeling it impact into something heavy and solid. The earth shook beneath his feet after he landed and he felt a force of energy flatten everything around him. When the dust began to clear, First Tsurugi was buried into the ground halfway up its blade, the blue aura that had encased it leaking out in thin tendrils of light that quickly dissipated into the air.

He missed.

There was a subtle shift of pressure in the air behind him and Cloud quickly ducked low, his face twisting into an angry scowl as he pivoted on his ankles and jerked First Tsurugi out of the ground. Red filled his vision and he felt something graze the top of his hair – a well-aimed strike that would've hit his head if he hadn't avoided it. He swung the large blade around in a low, horizontal sweep, hoping to cut out the legs from underneath his _enemy_.

No such luck. Red jumped over the sword but Cloud was pleased to see that it'd just barely skipped over it. Cloud knew that victory was within his grasp and felt the burn of a strange, foreign magic begin to brew in his fist. First Tsurugi swung into a stop at his side and he looked up to see Red still in the air, its blurry form fading in and out of view from the swirling mass of crimson.

His legs, still bent beneath him, coiled and he threw himself into the air after his target. First Tsurugi felt light as a feather in his grip when he brought it up into a broad sweep. The sharp edge of the large sword whistled as it cut a line through the air and Cloud didn't hesitate when Red predictably moved back again.

The sense of urgency was building within him. He knew he didn't have much time and he _had_ to destroy this enemy before it was too late. Cloud growled and jumped forwards to close the distance, swinging Tsurugi again and snarling when he missed again, ignoring the sight of a crimson sliver floating to the ground.

He picked a different tactic this time, bringing First Tsurugi back to his side as he pulled it behind him. His eyes locked onto the _enemy_ and he suddenly twisted his body, putting all of his force behind the swing of his sword – and letting go.

First Tsurugi _flew_ through the air, cutting through it towards its target. Cloud wasn't surprised when Red avoided it, darting out of its way to let the large broad sword pass by harmlessly –

Cloud heard the satisfying crack of something crushed beneath the sole of his boot. He could also hear the sharp intake of breath from Red, who had been caught by surprise. Even though First Tsurugi had missed, it provided Cloud with an opening and he'd taken it. Now he had Red right where he wanted him-_him?-_Cloud brought an arm back and clenched his hand into a fist, beating into flesh with a ferocious uppercut.

Red coughed and hacked _-why did it sound familiar?-_, doubling over Cloud's knee. He grabbed the back edge of the crimson -_cloak?-_ that covered his _enemy_ and held tightly, turning in mid-air and throwing the other's body with all the force he could muster. Red slammed into the ground with a powerful impact, creating a body-sized crater before rolling several times to come to a stop next to a large, broken pile of rocks.

Cloud darted through the air and snatched the still twirling First Tsurugi from its path. He turned towards the _enemy _attempting to recover on the ground and flew down to intercept before he could stand, twirling First Tsurugi in his hand. Blue color spiraled to the front of Cloud's vision. He could feel its power burning through his entire body and fueling him with the strength he would need to destroy this threat –

- _He had him. Victory was his _-

But the world was becoming distant. Everything was blurring together and suddenly he had a hard time distinguishing what was an _enemy_ and what was not. The red faded from his view and all he could see was gray.

Cloud stopped in midair, his blue eyes narrowing as everything then began to brighten. He continued to glare even until the light became too intense and he had to shut his eyes against it, blocking out everything around him.

When he opened his eyes again, the world was gone.

**.:`'~ Legacy ~'`:. **

Green was such a strange, deep color. It smelled like mint and reminded him of the snow and ice on the Northern Continent; which he thought was kind of weird, because he felt that it should remind him of trees and grass instead. It was all around him and he was _sinking_ into it, invading his lungs with every breath he took and overwhelming him until all of his _thoughts_ turned green and he couldn't breathe and oh gaia _Dad help me!_

"It's okay."

Saitek howled and struggled, attempting to _swim_ through the foggy haze of emerald that surrounded him. He didn't know if he was going up or down or if he was even alive anymore.

Leon... Leon had thrown him...

"It's okay." The disembodied voice said again softly, followed with indecipherable whispers. Saitek felt the ghost of a hand between his ears and whimpered, shutting his eyes tightly. This was the Lifestream wasn't it? Those voices... That had been what he'd heard before.

"Aw man..." He said, his voice choking, "I'm dead aren't I?" He covered his muzzle with his paws and curled his legs into his belly, feeling panic clutch at his chest. _Dad... Mom.. Cheyna... Bugo... Nustle... Vincent... _Saitek sobbed, "I don't wanna die!"

"You're not dead." The voice said with a soft sigh. Saitek felt the hand move from his head and cringed when it lightly touched the scarred tissue of his torn ear. Wait, scarred? How did it heal so fast?

"Saitek, please listen. There isn't much time."

Saitek dared to slowly opened his eyes, though he sorta already knew that he wouldn't see who it was talking to him. "Are you... the Planet?" He asked cautiously.

The voice laughed softly and Saitek thought it was a very pretty sound. He began to uncurl from the ball he'd turned himself into.

"Not exactly." It said, but this time he could hear it as if it'd been spoken right next to him. It was a girl's voice, soft and kind. It kind of reminded him... of what Cheyna might sound like when she got older.

"Who are you?" He asked, subconsciously tilting his head as the ghost hand lightly scratched at his ear. It didn't hurt at all, surprisingly.

"A friend," She said, "We don't have long, but I need to tell you something very important. I need you to do something for me, okay?"

"Uhm," Saitek said slowly, "O-okay... But... how? I don't even know where I am."

"When you go back you must bring Squall here."

Saitek heard a banjo string break somewhere and everything went silent. His thoughts became a jumbled mess. "Wha.. What? Why? Huh?! He tried to _kill_ me!" He could hear the betrayal he felt in his voice.

"Please Saitek, listen. You _must_ do this."

"Why?"

"Do you want to help him?"

"Y-yeah..."

"We're out of time, Saitek listen, you can do this. Believe in yourself and the power of Gaia will aid you."

"B-but wait! Who are you? What's wrong with Leon?! Hey!" No matter how loud he shouted he couldn't hear his voice and he felt the hand on his head disappear. Saitek suddenly felt himself roll and his stomach lurched sickeningly. He gulped and shut his eyes as the world spun around him and _green_ flooded his senses again. His mind was overcome with _urgencyneedpanicdespair__**power. **_

Suddenly he broke free of the liquid world surrounding him, flying into the air with a ferocious roar towards the sky. His eyes were _**burning**_ and everything around him was glowing _green_. He looked down to see a pair of familiar gray eyes looking at him wide with surprise and Saitek lunged to meet them.

**.:`'~ Legacy ~'`:. **

He could hear the sounds of battle behind him, but Nanaki could not bear to tear himself away from the Lifestream river. Every second that passed by was agonizing. He was overcome with despair and denial, shaking his head fiercely. Saitek couldn't be gone, he _couldn't_.

His _son._

His beautiful, strong son.

_'Dad, I'm hungry!'_

_'Aw Pa, we're just playin'!'_

_'Hey, can you tell me a story?'_

_'Do you think I have what it takes to be a hero?'_

_'I love you! You're the best!'_

Nanaki's eye was stinging, filled with burning, unshed tears. His throat ached as it tightened and pulsed with pain when he forced himself to swallow heavily. Every part of his body was trembling and his legs felt weak. He... was gone.

Saitek was really gone.

All of the pain and despair built up within him until he couldn't hold it anymore, and Nanaki tossed his head into the sky with a loud, mournful roar. His pain choked his voice and he ended it with a sob, shaking his head with a sudden surge of pure, unbridled _anger_. He felt it building within him with the force of the oceans, filling his body with a power he hadn't felt for nearly five-hundred years.

Nanaki turned quickly, his single golden eye gleaming furiously as he looked upon the man who had given his son away. The man that was currently standing, unguarded, with his hand to his head.

Nanaki was going to **kill** him.

Fury blinded his vision as his body turned and ripped across the short distance. He felt his claws tear up the ground beneath him and he leaped into the air, slamming all four-hundred pounds of body and muscle into the distracted SeeD.

Squall fell easily beneath his weight, caught completely by surprise. Nanaki growled as he shoved him into the ground and dug his claws into the other's chest, ignoring the arms that tried to push him off. His flaming tail whipped about and he tore his lips back into a ferocious snarl, letting the fighter beneath his paws see the gleaming, sharp teeth that would mean his end.

"You _bastard_," Nanaki growled, barely able to hear the words through the loud, feral growls thundering in his throat, "How _could_ you! My _son! _**Tell me!** Before I rip your throat out, tell me why you did it!"

Squall looked up at him from where he lay on the ground, pinned beneath the weight of the large red beast. His gunblade lay a foot off to his right, just out of arms reach. He'd been foolish to let his guard down but felt no fear even as he felt the burning heat of the Lienliek's breath on his face. In fact, Squall started to grin as Nanaki glared at him.

Nanaki snarled when he saw Squall grinning at him and he dug his claws even deeper into the other's chest, feeling the warmth of his blood pool around the pads of his paws. "What are you _smiling_ at?!" He roared furiously.

That's when he heard it. The sound of a battle still waging, even as he had pinned down the traitorous enemy. Nanaki made his mistake then, daring to glance out of the corner of his eye out of instinct – to see Vincent in battle with a familiar, blond-haired man.

Squall took advantage of the brief distraction and thrust his hand beneath the gaping, tooth-filled maw of Nanaki. He called forth a spell from his mind and a bright orange warmth radiated from his hand, moments later a blast of roaring flames engulfing the Lienliek's head.

Nanaki howled with surprise and anger, leaping away from Squall as he pawed at his head. The smell of singed fur invaded his nostrils and he could feel his tender skin _burning_. By the time he managed to recover, Squall was next to him with the gunblade raised high over his head.

Quickly, the Lienliek jumped to the side as the sword flew down, slamming into the ground where he'd been standing just moments before. Nanaki leaped forward and used his bulk once again to knock Squall back. This time the SeeD was prepared, though, and quickly regained his balance. He turned towards Nanaki again and pointed the sword at the beast, lips twisting into a small, sly grin from the length of the deadly curved blade.

"Don't you have more important things to worry about?" Squall asked.

Nanaki spread his weight evenly on all four of his legs, his tail lashing furiously behind him. At first he thought that Squall meant Saitek and the words struck him as painful as any sword. But then the sound of the other battle reached his ears once again, this time carrying a familiar voice grunting in pain. Nanaki looked over just in time to see Vincent falling from the sky and could only stare in shock and surprise as the ex-Turk crashed into the ground, rolling before coming to a stop in front of a pile of broken boulders.

Cloud Strife was floating in the air, holding First Tsurugi with nothing but determination set in his face.

"Cloud..." Nanaki whispered, shocked. He yelled, "What are you doing?! Cloud!"

His friend didn't hear him and Nanaki watched helplessly as Cloud twirled First Tsurugi. The hero became enveloped in a blue aura before rocketing towards Vincent, who was still trying to recover from the blows he'd taken.

Cloud... was going to kill Vincent.

"Cloud!" Nanaki shouted, darting towards Vincent even though he knew he'd never reach him time...!

But Cloud never finished the attack.

Nanaki looked up to see that his lost friend was slowly fading from view, his face torn with an expression of wasn't until Cloud had completely disappeared that Nanaki managed to turn his attention away. He stood next to Vincent, able to hear the ex-Turk grunt as he sat up.

"Vincent, are you alright?" Nanaki hadn't forgotten about Squall. But the other seemed more interested in observing them for the time being.

Vincent said nothing and refused to look at him. Nanaki could feel the waves of anger and betrayal that flowed from his friend and he stared at him with growing caution. Slowly Vincent stood, allowing his torn, crimson cloak to cover him as he held an arm over his chest. Nanaki could hear the strained sound of Vincent's breathing, and he was looking at Squall with a fury-filled crimson glare.

The target of his anger turned towards them completely, swinging his sword back to let it rest against his shoulder as he placed his other hand on his hip. Squall tapped the blade against his jacket, lifting his chin as he looked across the short distance towards them. "Don't tell me you think you can still fight." The SeeD said, "You look like you can barely stand."

Nanaki felt his throat bubbling with another angry growl as his fur bristled. He opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by Vincent's deep voice. Nanaki looked up at his friend immediately with concern when he noticed the barely disguised pain in his voice.

"I'm not going to hold back anymore." Vincent was saying, his voice becoming deeper, darker – something frighteningly inhuman. His red eyes were _glowing_ with faint wisps of blood-colored tendrils trailing up like smoke from their edges, sifting through his fine hair and dissipating into the air over his head.

"That's fine with me. Maybe this next round might actually be challenging." Squall said, his lips quirking arrogantly as he failed to pick up on the bestial tone that Vincent's voice had taken. The only response to Vincent's sudden glowing eyes was a brightening of his own, sharp and vivid purple that crackled.

Nanaki felt the atmosphere around them growing dark and heavy, signaling something that was both familiar and terrifying. A cold, harsh wind was beginning to rip through the clearing, bringing with it a staggering chill that froze Nanaki where he stood.

"Vincent-"

"I don't think you understand," The ex-Turk said with a cold anger, either ignoring or unable to hear Nanaki. He continued to hold his chest but his free hand straightened at his side, fingers flexing into curved talons as red energy danced between them like lightning and coursed up the length of his arm. The sky above the group had darkened to the point that day had turned to night and black clouds were rolling violently over their heads.

"I'm..._not.._going... to hold back......**anymore!" **Vincent snarled with a guttural voice, every word was spoken with a strained focus that was quickly lost in the midst of a twister surrounding the ex-Turk. Black and red energy swept around him in a whirlwind of jagged edges, ripping the ground up at his feet as he disappeared into the vortex.

"**Vincent!" **Nanaki snarled, panic clenching his chest tightly as he realized it was too late -

And then everything exploded into a brilliant cascade of snow white and emerald green. It was as if someone had flipped the world upside down, inverting all of it's qualities from dark and perilous to brilliant and colorful. Thick tendrils of white-tipped green strands stretched through the air as the river behind the group exploded outwards, creating a rain of clear emerald drops to pour over the battle-scarred clearing.

A familiar yet shocking roar thundered into the sky and Nanaki whirled, his golden eye widening at the sight of Saitek -_his son was alive!!- _high in the air above the river. The red coat of the cub was drenched with the river of the Lifestream and his eyes were _glowing_ and _green_ and _possessed._ He had a ferocious expression on his face, his jaws open and wide to reveal sharp, curved teeth. The cub didn't appear to notice anything around him, nor the fact that for a few seconds he _hovered_ in the air, glaring with a supernatural fury at a certain other-worldly enemy. The green liquid that dripped from his body suddenly erupted, flaring into a brilliant green fire that ripped around the cub's body as his muscles coiled.

Squall looked at the sight in shock, feeling the burn of the Lifestream as drops of it fell onto him from above, each speck sizzling noticeably when it touched his skin. His grip loosened on his gunblade and he was caught suddenly paralyzed and unable to move as Saitek shot towards him from the sky. The cub roared a second, howling roar that reverberated through the trees, leaving a comet trail of emerald ice in his wake.

For the second time in battle the SeeD was thrown back by the weight of a beast slamming into him. He grunted as his body crashed into a tree several meters behind him and could feel the thick trunk of the tree crack from the force of impact against his spine. Saitek was upon him once again in an instant, leaping onto his chest and sinking his teeth into the front of Squall's shirt as he hurled him away from the tree and across the ground again. Squall hissed and yelped as his body bounced several times off of the ground before slowing to a stop. He could faintly see a green glow from the corner of his eyes and knew that he was dangerously close to the river. Much closer than he should be. He felt his entire body humming with the instinct to _get away_.

_Get up, you idiot! _**Her** voice shouted angrily into his head.

Squall snarled as he jumped up off the ground, compelled by a will that wasn't his own. His gunblade had fallen out of his hands and was too far for him to reach. Saitek lunged towards him again but he was prepared this time, side-stepping and reaching out to grab a hold of the cub's tail as he shot past. The Lienliek yelped as Squall tightened his grip, pivoting on his feet and rounding his weight to hurl the cub back toward the trees.

Saitek yelped again when he hit the very same tree he'd thrown Squall into earlier, feeling his body crack beneath the force of the throw and his own weight. The tree buckled beneath the pressure and snapped, falling backwards with a loud, thunderous _crack, _causing the ground to tremble beneath it.

Saitek fell to the ground limply with a whimper.

_It hurts!_ He cried. It was hard to breathe and he couldn't feel his legs. The energy that had driven him before had almost completely left him and he felt so _drained_.

_It's okay._ The soft voice said to him faintly. _You've done well. Rest now, Saitek._

The cub couldn't argue. His eyes were heavy. He could hear his father shouting for him and wanted to tell him that it was okay, but he was too tired. And he _hurt_. So he closed his eyes.

"Saitek!" Nanaki called again, recovering from the shock of seeing his son, _alive_. The exchange between Squall and the cub had taken no longer than two seconds at most, their movements so fast that Nanaki had been barely able to keep up. The entire time the only thing he could think of was that his cub was _alive... _he was **alive.**

Saitek's pained yelp jolted Nanaki out of his stupor and he quickly spotted his son lying limply at the base of a fallen tree.

"Saitek!" He shouted, darting across the distance towards his unconscious son.

Squall was about to take advantage of the opening and run towards his gunblade when he was interrupted by a blur of red and black that suddenly materialized in front of him. Before he could react, Vincent had grabbed his head with metallic, golden claws. Squall snarled, reaching up to Vincent's wrist and gripping it tightly in his hands. Pain shot through his head as Vincent tightened his grip and Squall grimaced, feeling the claws dig painfully into his skull.

With a firm grip still on the gauntlet, Squall lifted his legs and lashed out at Vincent's chest in an attempt knock him away. He failed completely though, his eyes widening with barely contained surprise when a kick that would have broken another man in half did little more than phase the one that held him.

Vincent's grip continued to tighten and no matter how hard Squall struggled, kicked or hit or shoved, he couldn't break free. The pressure on his skull was immense and it wasn't long before Squall's vision was overcome with dark spots and his ears were ringing painfully.

He began to feel cold, suddenly. It felt as though he was trapped between slabs of ice and all of his skin was burning. Squall felt his energy being drained from him and he gasped shakily for air with aching lungs. Something was grabbing him, wrapping tightly around his body and _pulling. _

Then out of the darkness that was sweeping his vision, he could see green. It was the last thing he saw before an intense, searing agony suddenly ripped through his head.

Squall screamed and his entire world was enveloped by an emerald sea.

Vincent let go Squall go as thick, pulsing waves of the Lifestream covered the SeeD, drawing him into the river. The last thing he saw of him was a flailing body as the other screamed, disappearing completely from view.

For several seconds, Vincent stared at the river as it remained still and silent. It was as though it hadn't moved at all...

_**dangerrunaway**__ ---_

A deafening, inhuman shriek cut through the air.

Vincent whirled, "Nanaki! Look out!"

The Lienliek barely managed to dodge as a thick, purple tentacle suddenly lashed out from the darkness nearby. The green shower that the Lifestream had provided was gone and as it faded back into the river with its prize, shadows stretched out from every corner of the forest. From the blackness came the sound of snarling, roaring creatures. Inhuman, mutated monsters that promised nothing but an agonizing death.

The ground was trembling from their approach.

Nanaki growled and darted forward when the tentacle pulled back, grabbing his cub by the back of his neck with his teeth and leaping into the air as another oozing tentacle lashed out again. Nanaki felt it collide with his back and he was knocked to the ground with a heavy thud, twisting to take the brunt of the fall and to keep his cub unharmed. Saitek was limp and unconscious in his grasp, but Nanaki could hear the cub's quiet whimpering.

_Its okay, my son, I've got you. _Nanaki thought.

Looking up from where he fell he was terrified to see that the sky was _moving_. No... it wasn't moving... it was covered. Thousands upon thousands of small, unidentifiable creatures darted in a writhing mass of black and violet, screeching and cawing at such a volume that the Lienliek flinched from the sound, flattening his ears in an effort to muffle the deafening noise.

A sudden pressure at his side startled him and he whirled quickly, ready to defend himself only to recognize the presence as Vincent. The ex-Turk appeared pale and winded, his skin covered with a fine sheen of sweat and the smell of blood. The battle against Cloud had not left him unharmed.

Ahead of them, the sounds of approaching monsters were quickly getting closer. The trees nearby rustled as something heavy crashed through them and another thick, purple tentacle stretched across the ground in a blind search for its quarry.

Nanaki looked at Vincent.

Vincent looked at Nanaki.

A silent understanding was passed between them, the realization that to stay would mean the end of them all. They had little choice in the matter, so they turned and fled.** (1)**

…_**..............:`' ~ Author's Notes ~'`:................**_

_1) Quick! Hold R2 and L2! /shameless_

_Hope you enjoyed this chapter! It's a lot of fighting and whew, I'm glad it's over with. I hope I did alright with it, I think I enjoyed writing Cloud's part the most, though! I really hated beating poor Squall up like that, he doesn't know what he's doing. And Vincent is just... badass.  
_

_That last sentence irritates me to death. Grr._

_A very, very tremendous __**thank you **__to my betas Hikaru and Meg. Hikaru for her wonderful ideas and encouragement ((and all the fun we have plotting the Abridged version, oh ho ho!)) and Meg for making the writing look so much better! xD_

_As always, let me know what you think! Reviews are bread and butter, inspiration and muse all wrapped into one package!  
_

_Next Chapter :: We find out what happens to Squall and Cloud!_


	14. Intermission

_**.:`'~ Legacy ~'`:.**_

-=-=-=-=-=-

_Cool guys don't look at explosions  
They blow things up and then walk away  
Who's got time to watch an explosion?  
Because cool guys have errands that they have to walk to..  
Keep walkin', keep shinin'  
Don't look back keep on walkin'  
Keep struttin' slow motion  
The more you ignore it, the cooler you look_

-=-=-=-=-=-

_**Interlude**_

"So, where's the writer?" Cloud asked as he sat down at a table with a hot mug of coffee.

"Who cares?" Squall replied, sitting back in his seat and folding his arms nonchalantly.

Cloud made a small noise and leaned over his drink, sniffing the hot steam wafting from the cup. "I do," He answered quietly, "It's finally to a point where I get to do something important."

"What are you talking about?" Squall asked, looking at Cloud through the corners of his eyes.

Cloud shrugged and tore open a package of sugar, emptying the contents into his coffee. "All I've done so far is mope about in an empty canvas of your head, talk to some imaginary friends of yours, and daydream." He paused, "I think."

Squall snorted softly and shook his head, "You've had it easy. At least you haven't been painted the bumbling idiot from nowhere who was stupid enough to-" He was interrupted suddenly by a pair of hands covering his eyes from behind, and a soft voice chirping, "To what?"

"Aw hell-"

Rinoa giggled, "Guess who!"

"Oh no, it's _Rinova_, everyone run." Cloud commented, as he stirred his drink and took a testing sip.

Rinoa rolled her eyes and let go of Squall, pulling a chair closer to him and taking a seat. "That's what everyone was doing, last I recall." She said with a giggle, laying her head on Squall's shoulder. He shook her off immediately and glared at her.

"Get lost."

"Aw, that's not very nice is it Squally-poo?"

"Shut up."

"Awww, come on, play nice!"

"..."

"_Leeeeeeoooon~!!_"

"Oh Hyne." Squall pinched the bridge of his nose as the pitter patter of four small paws ran to the table.

"Leon!" Saitek howled, moments before crashing into the legs of the chair Squall sat in. The SeeD member grabbed onto the edge of the table to keep from falling over, and glared at the apologetic looking Lienlike afterwards. "Sorry!" The cub said meekly, then perked up with both ears, "Hey! So, what happens next? Do we get to go and beat up the bad guy?"

"Hey!" Rinoa scowled, folding her arms.

Saitek looked at her sheepishly, "Sorry. Bad girl?"

She smiled and patted him on the head.

"No." Squall answered, glaring at the surface of the table. Cloud remained silent, holding the cup of coffee in both hands and savoring the scent of hot mocha in the air.

"Aww..." Saitek's ears deflated, "Why not?"

"Because."

"Because why?"

"The next chapter isn't written yet."

"It isn't?"

"No."

"Why isn't it done yet? I thought this was supposed to be done awhile ago!"

Squall sighed angrily, "No one can find the author."

"Whattya mean? She's right here isn't she?"

"No."

Saitek quirked an eye curiously, "Yes she is."

"No she's not."

"She is."

"She _isn't_." Squall growled.

"But she is! How else do you explain what we're doin' now?"

Squall looked at the cub through the corner of his eye, noticing Rinoa watching them like a ping pong ball game.

"I mean," Saitek continued, standing on his two rear legs with his forepaws on the edge of the table. "If we're here talking, then she's gotta be here writing us talking, right?"

"It doesn't work that way." Squall answered, looking at Cloud to find the other poorly attempting to hide a grin. He glared at him.

"What do you mean? How else does it work?" Saitek rolled his eyes, "Even I know this."

"Because," Squall growled again, looking at Saitek, "This is the author's way of apologizing to her readers and betas, and we're not supposed to be treating this like something she's written, but rather, an apology from us to them for and from her."

"Huh?"

"Nevermind."

Cloud hid a snicker behind his hand.

"I don't get it," Saitek frowned, his tail waving lazily in the air, "She's gotta be writing us doing this stuff, right? So she's here. Let's drag her out and make her write the next chapter!"

Squall said nothing.

"I've got an idea," Nanaki suddenly spoke up from the front of the table.

Squall jumped. "Where the hell did you-"

"Why don't you and Rinoa go and find her for us?" Nanaki continued quietly, smiling toothily at his son.

Saitek paused a moment, then looked at Rinoa. "Uhm... But..."

"That's a _great_ idea," Squall suddenly said, looking directly at Saitek, "Do you think you have what it takes?"

Saitek huffed, puffing his furry chest out. "Of course I do! Come on Rinoa... Rinova... Bad guy... lady, whoever you are! Let's do this!"

"But I don't-" Rinoa started, yelping in surprise when the cub suddenly grabbed her hand in his mouth and yanked her away.

Nanaki chuckled as he watched them leave, looking over at Squall and Cloud. "You're welcome."

Squall said nothing, but dipped his head a little. Cloud shrugged loosely and sipped his coffee, "I was enjoying the show."

"You would." Squall muttered.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Hm... Where's Vincent?" Cloud asked Nanaki, "Is he scheduled to appear?"

"Oh... I'm pretty sure he's lurking in a shadow somewhere. The author... I mean... he's probably waiting for the appropriate time to appear."

Cloud acknowledged with an 'Ah'.

There was a long moment of silence before Nanaki coughed politely, "This is awkward."

"It is." Cloud agreed.

"Mhm." Squall grunted.

"You know.. given the length of this little diddly so far, it's already roughly a third of a chapter length. You'd think the author would be smart and use this time to be writing the next chapter."

"Well, she claims to have already written most of it." Cloud said quietly.

"Like five times." Squall muttered again.

Nanaki snickered, then paused thoughtfully. "Now that I think about it... I don't believe 'diddly' is a word."

His chair suddenly broke from beneath him, and as Nanaki crashed to the floor he yelped, "Sorry!"

A random server nearby quickly replaced the broken seat.

"I heard she was going to rewrite the end of the last chapter." A deep voice suddenly spoke from another side of the table.

"There he is." Cloud stated, nodding his head in greeting as the ex-Turk stood ominously next to the group. Vincent tilted his head in response to all three of them.

Squall looked at him curiously, "Really? You mean... I -don't- get thrown into the glowing stream?"

"Lifestream," Cloud corrected quietly, sending a warning glance in his direction.

Squall shrugged. "Whatever."

"At one point it will happen," Vincent said, "But my resources tell me that she wishes to redo the ending."

Both he and Nanaki flinched.

"It was pretty bad." Cloud agreed.

"What resources?" Squall asked suspiciously.

Vincent looked at him and didn't answer. Squall rolled his eyes briefly.

"So why doesn't she do it?" Cloud asked suddenly.

Nanaki cleared his throat, "I believe it may be a sum of many contributing factors. One being her life, another her muses, time..." He shrugged.

Vincent's red eyes grew darker. "She keeps writing other things."

"What?" Both Squall and Cloud looked at him.

"Other stories... for other worlds."

"What about us, though?" Cloud asked with a small frown, shifting his weight in his seat.

Vincent shrugged.

"Great." Cloud muttered, looking down at his half-empty cup of coffee. "I'm going to be stuck in your head forever."

"It's not like I'm enjoying it either," Squall grumbled.

"What are you talking about? You're the hero of the story."

Squall rolled his eyes. "Yeah, only until -you- come along. Then everything focuses on you and I get tossed to the wind."

Cloud frowned, "You're still the hero of the story, doesn't that mean anything to you?"

"No. I'd rather not be here. This is none of my business, it's not even my world."

Cloud scowled, "So you'd just let everything happen?"

"I don't have a choice!" Squall answered angrily.

"Maybe it's good that you don't!"

"Cut it out you two," Vincent growled.

Cloud and Squall went silent, but continued to glare at each other.

Nanaki coughed softly to hear his throat, "Well... This is going well."

When no one responded, Nanaki turned to Vincent, "So, do you have any idea when this next chapter or possible rewrite may be up?"

Vincent shook his head. "No. It's being worked on, but the progress is slow. It may be a few months... it may be a week. There's no way we can tell for sure. All I know is that it will happen. We just have to wait for it."

"I see..."

"What are these... 'other' stories?" Cloud suddenly asked.

Vincent turned to him, "Transformers and Bleach."

Cloud blinked at him. "Wait... what?"

"You mean we're being passed over for transforming robots and the cast of thousands?" Squall chimed in.

Vincent nodded his head.

"Great." Squall muttered.

"It could be worse," Cloud offered, "We could be crossed over with them."

Squall grimaced. "I -really- hope that doesn't happen..."

An evil cackle sounds in the air.

"She's kidding." Vincent says suddenly.

The evil cackle fades away... :(

…_**..............:`' ~ Author's Notes ~'`:................**_

_Mkay, I just wanted to play around a bit. I really fail at these humor type things. ^^; and I got really lazy at the end there, and my BF walked in, so I had to end it because if he ever found out I was writing fanfiction I would be humiliated. xD If it at least brought a smile to your face, then my work is done!_

_I wanted to let everyone who has this story on alert know that Legacy is still very much in the works, and I really do appreciate the reviews I'm getting for it. I refuse to say it's on hiatus, though all signs point otherwise. I am very much considering rewriting the ending of the last chapter, extending the fight between Vincent, Nanaki and Rinova, but I'm still undecided. The indecision has sort of stalled my muses, so I'm attempting to work around it. ^^ I am now thoroughly convinced I jumped the gun on the story, and should have made this two stories instead of trying to combine it all into one, because the plot takes such a turn here that it really should have been on it's own and I'm having a really difficult time trying to do it smoothly._

_Thank you everyone for your patience and continued support! I really am going to try and aim on continuing this story to it's completion! In the meantime, though, if you are a fan of Transformers and/or Bleach, I do have two stories I wrote for them in my profile. Feel free to read them also. :)_


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